<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>that summer seemed to last forever by cheryltonis</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28766535">that summer seemed to last forever</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheryltonis/pseuds/cheryltonis'>cheryltonis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Damie AU, Dani is awkward, Eventual Smut, F/F, Gay Awakening, Jamie is a troublemaker with a heart of gold, They’re camp counselors, it’s 1987, lots of internalized homophobia, there’s homophobia, they develop Feelings, very VERY minor mention of death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:35:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>57,492</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28766535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheryltonis/pseuds/cheryltonis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Before starting college in the fall, Dani takes a job working at B.L.Y. Summer Camp (Burlington’s Limitless Youth). But after meeting Jamie, a fellow camp counselor who’s just as charming as she is mysterious, Dani realizes that she’s in for more than just mosquito bites and campfire songs.</p><p>aka: the summer camp counselors au no one but me wanted :D</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dani Clayton/Jamie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>215</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>553</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was supposed to just be a long one shot and I got carried away, so now it’s a chaptered fic. the chapter lengths are going to vary because i wasn’t paying attention to section lengths when it was supposed to be a one shot so my apologies in advance. </p><p>but i hope you enjoy my dumb little idea!</p><p>fic title comes from “summer of 69” by bryan adams</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong></strong>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Sunday June 10, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><strong></strong><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>First Day Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>Dani Clayton always thought she was brave; Braver than a lot of people though she was. But today was her first day, and she wasn’t feeling very brave.<p>She stood a bit awkwardly in place with the other counselors as they waited for the buses to arrive. Everyone else seemed to know each other so well, probably from school or from several prior summers of working at B.L.Y. Camp (Burlington’s Limitless Youth, she learned it stood for). She’d met most of them during orientation week, but it seemed that the only one she got along well enough with was Rebecca Jessel. </p><p>Thankfully Rebecca, nineteen, just a year older than Dani, was her bunk mate. She’d been working at the camp since she was sixteen, but had attended as a camper every summer between first and seventh grade. According to Viola, the camp director, Rebecca was the one of the best ones to turn to if Dani ever had questions. </p><p>What Viola didn’t seem to know, though, was that as good of a friend as Rebecca seemed, she actually wasn’t the most reliable mentor. Her priorities, instead, seemed to be wrapped entirely around the tall boy that Dani had been introduced to as her boyfriend. Peter Quint, if she remembered correctly. He was...nice enough. Though, she couldn’t quite see what Rebecca saw in him. The popped collar of his camp polo and his gelled back hair just reminded Dani of all the popular boys at her school back home in Iowa.</p><p>Sighing to herself, she watched from the corner of her eye as Peter wrapped his arms around Rebecca from behind, doing <em>something</em> that prompted her to squeal and pull away, telling him to stop with a playful glimmer in her eye. </p><p>The blonde twirled her hair between her fingers, trying not to think of Eddie back home. He’d been glued to her side since kindergarten. Not that she minded. It was nice having a best friend. But Eddie always seemed to want something more out of her. As did everyone else in their small town. It was like all eyes were on them as people placed bets on how long it took them to get together. Whoever guessed that it would take them until their first year high school was the big winner.</p><p>But things were different now. They broke up right before they graduated high school and were taking their lives in different directions. Eddie stayed in Iowa, working for his dad while he went to school for optometry. While Dani, having gotten a hefty scholarship to the University of Vermont, headed east to work at the Lloyd’s summer camp for eleven weeks until it was time to start school. It wasn’t too far outside of Burlington. Plus she had a bed and got paid while gaining experience for her teaching degree. It was almost too perfect.</p><p>Now if she could just stop being so nervous. </p><p>She watched everyone around her, hoping that their ease would rub off on her. It was nice being surrounded by people her age. There were a few adults, but the staff consisted of mostly teenagers. Teenagers who all seemed so chummy with one another. There had to be <em>someone</em> around here that was as new as she was. </p><p>Glancing around, her blue eyes landed on a girl standing alone, leaning back against a tree in the shade. All by herself. Maybe she was new too. With a smile, Dani stepped away from Rebecca and Peter (unnoticed, of course) and made her way towards the lonesome stranger. Though, the closer she got, the more she realized that perhaps this girl wasn’t quite as new to camp as Dani had hoped. </p><p>For starters, her uniform didn’t exactly match the dress code. Her t-shirt sleeves were rolled up and cuffed on her thin upper arms. She was wearing <em>very</em> short denim cutoff shorts with rips frayed all along the hems. And to top it all off, she had a cigarette hanging from her lips as she stared ahead at the empty lot where the buses were due to pull in. She didn’t remember seeing her at all during orientation week. </p><p>
  <em>Maybe not the sort you should get involved with, Dani.</em>
</p><p>“Y’know starin’s not very polite,” a raspy voice came from the girl who had curly brown hair sticking out from under her blue bandana. She hadn’t even looked in her direction, how did she see her? </p><p>“I, um…” Dani started, at a bit of a loss for words, unaware that she’d been staring or for how long. The rasp in the girl’s tone caught her by surprise, making it nearly impossible for her to use her own voice as she forgot what she was going to say. Then again, she didn’t even have a plan for what to say in the first place. “I...I don’t think smoking is...allowed.”</p><p>She <em>knew</em> smoking wasn’t allowed. It was in the counselor handbook she’d been given when she arrived last week. She meant for her words to be helpful. Maybe the girl didn’t know. Dani didn’t want her to get in trouble. But like most things, it didn’t come out how she’d intended it to. It came out rather snooty, actually. Like Dani was telling her what to do.</p><p>“I-I just meant...um—“ she stammered. So much for making friends with another loner. </p><p>“No, you’re right,” the girl took one last drag from the cigarette between her fingers before stomping it into the ground, “Filthy little habit anyway.”</p><p>Breathing a nervous laugh at the smirk being shot in her direction, Dani watched a high top converse twist into the dirt and grass, following the pale leg back up to the smirk that hadn’t faltered. </p><p>“Somethin’ I can do for you?” an eyebrow raised curiously over green eyes that seemed to be fiery and piercing even in the shade.</p><p>Her breath caught in her throat again before she swallowed nervously, her throat bobbing as she thought of what to say. Suddenly <em>“I saw you standing here alone, I figured I’d come introduce myself”</em> sounded too lame. </p><p>“I-I didn’t see you...at staff week, I mean...for orientation…” her octave raised a bit as if it were a question. The questions were implied. Who was she? Why wasn’t she at a mandatory orientation?</p><p>“Not one for ice breaking games and lectures,” she shrugged, stuffing her hands into her pockets as she leaned back against the tree, casting her eyes towards the dirt lot once more. </p><p>Dani eyed her profile. She didn’t really seem to be ‘camp counselor’ material. At least not by her standards. She could only imagine how this girl was with kids. It wouldn’t surprise Dani if they were all terrified of her. But she was here. And she didn’t seem to be new. Maybe she was in for a surprise. </p><p>“I’m Dani,” she extended her arm and held her hand out for a cordial handshake, stepping just a little closer so the other girl didn’t have to reach too far. But green eyes just looked down at the extended hand when she turned her head to face her again. And Dani just hoped that the squinting look on her face was just from the sun peaking through the leaves. Whatever it was, the way she was eyeing her brought a rosy tint to Dani’s cheeks.</p><p>“Might wanna use a little more sunscreen next time.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You’re lookin’ a little flushed,” the girl gestured to her own cheeks.</p><p>“O-oh, I—“</p><p>“Jamie!” a powerful voice from behind her made her nearly jump out of her skin as she lowered her arm in fear. Glancing behind her to see where the voice came from, Dani saw Viola Lloyd coming up the path with a clipboard in her hands and a sun hat on her head. </p><p>“This is a summer camp for children, Jamie, not a 7-Eleven street corner,” the woman placed her free hand on her hip disapprovingly. </p><p>“Quite the flatterer as always, Vi,” the girl, Jamie, rolled her eyes with a chuckle.</p><p>“I mean it, Jamie, if I catch you in those shorts again, even once, over the next ten weeks, I’m writing you up. After the kids get here and situated, I want you to change into your camp shorts.”</p><p>“Aye-aye,” the younger brunette gave her a two finger salute that was nothing short of sarcastic, but seemed to be accompanied by a genuine smile. And to Dani’s surprise Mrs. Lloyd just chuckled and shook her head affectionately. </p><p>“And be nice to the new girl. I don’t need you scaring her off,” Viola draped an arm around Dani’s shoulders with just as much affection before looking down at the slightly shorter blonde, “Anything Jamie says, don’t believe it. She’s been a thorn in my side at this camp since she was six years old.”</p><p>Dani just let out an anxious chuckle, glancing back and forth between the two before Viola walked off. But she didn’t have time to say anything else to Jamie. The buses were arriving, parking in a few rows in the dirt lot. Even if she had anything to say now, she was too nervous to speak. </p><p>“Well,” Jamie pushed herself off the tree, stretching her arms over her head in a way that exposed a sliver of skin just above her shorts, “We better get to it, then, Poppins. Kids aren’t gonna wrangle up themselves. Wish they would, though.”</p><p>
  <em>Poppins?</em>
</p><p>“I-it’s, Dani,” she furrowed her brows and wrung her fingers nervously.</p><p>The brunette just rolled her eyes and lowered her arms with a playful scoff, “So you said.”</p><p>“Hey look, there’s Jamie!” a young boy, maybe about ten years old, pointed excitedly from across the grassy field before him and his group of friends came barreling towards the counselor. </p><p>Suddenly Dani found herself watching this off-putting, rather brass and sarcastic girl surrounded by kids as if she were a pop star surrounded by adoring fans. She hadn’t expected this Jamie person to be so good with kids to a point that she was so <em>popular.</em></p><p>“Ah, go get checked in with Mrs. Lloyd. You little gremlins have ten whole weeks to annoy me,” she chuckled down at the boys and girls who seemed to be fighting against each other to get her attention. </p><p>With a smile the blonde stepped away, looking down at her Keds as she made her way towards the buses, hoping she could find someone to help. Looking around with twisted lips and her eyebrows knit together, she watched as kids reunited with counselors from previous summers, giving hugs before getting sent to the check-in line after unloading from the bus. </p><p>It was starting to look like she really was the only newbie in town before she set eyes on a pair of kids, brother and sister, they looked like. They were standing at the edge of the grass, looking around nervously, and Dani couldn’t help but sigh with a bit of relief, grateful that she could put herself to good use and make a little difference. </p><p>“Hi there,” she smiled warmly, approaching the two kids who were looking up at her with a combination of fear and hope that she could steer them in the right direction, “I’m Dani. What are your names?” She bent down a bit to be more at their eye level.</p><p>The kids looked at each other, nearly dripping with trepidation before turning back to face her. The older one, the boy, spoke up, pointing between himself and his sister. “I’m Miles. This is Flora.”</p><p>“It’s nice to meet you. Is this your first time at camp?” she offered them a reassuring smile with sympathy in her eyes as they nodded, “Well guess what.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“This is my first time here too.”</p><p>“Really?” Flora smiled up at her brother, both of them seeming a little more comfortable in the presence of the blonde.</p><p>“Mmhm. But I promise, you’re gonna have so much fun this summer and make a lot of cool friends, okay?” she grinned even wider when they both nodded and held eagerly onto their backpack straps, “Let’s go get you guys checked in, whatdya say?” </p><p>The two kids took hold of her extended hands with happy smiles, their moods shifting from fear and to excitement after just two minutes of conversation. And Dani was glad that her heart no longer felt so heavily stuck in her throat. </p><p>She chatted with the kids while they waited in line for check-in. Flora took an interest in Dani’s choice of hair accessories and the color of her lip gloss, while Miles was more concerned with questions about the camp.</p><p>“Do you know which activities you signed up to do?” she grinned down at him.</p><p>“Our uncle signed us up for activities,” the little boy sighed, “He signed me up for <em>gardening</em>. Why would I want to do gardening?”</p><p>“Hey, you might enjoy it. It’s actually a very useful skill.”</p><p>“He signed me up for aerobics!” Flora tugged on her hand, gazing up at her with wide-eyed adoration, “And arts and crafts.”</p><p>The blonde gasped dramatically, “Hey, I’m in charge of arts &amp; crafts!” She’d wanted to be one of the aerobics instructors, but being new, arts &amp; crafts was the easiest and safest task they could give her. Maybe next summer, if this one went well.</p><p>“Does that mean I’ll see you every day?” the little girl asked hopefully, already taking a liking to her teenage counselor. </p><p>“Just about.”</p><p>“Well, I’ll be going rock climbing while you’re making your silly little bracelets like you do at home,” Miles taunted with a teasing grin, laughing when Flora missed him after an attempted smack.</p><p>“Hey, hey, that’s enough,” Dani chuckled, keeping them separate. If the whole eleven weeks would be this easy, she would definitely try to get hired again next summer.</p><p>They approached closer to one of the senior staffers as the line dwindled, watching as kids hugged when they were assigned to the same bunk, or cheering when they were told they would be under the supervision of a certain counselor. It didn’t seem like anyone who worked at this camp had kids that didn’t like them. </p><p>“Okay, who do we have?” the woman in her thirties, Patty, if Dani remembered correctly, held a pen to her clipboard in anticipation. </p><p>“Miles and Flora...um…” she looked down at the boy for help.</p><p>“Wingrave,” he answered for them, tightening his hold on Dani’s hand a bit nervously as the woman in front of them skimmed her list.</p><p>“Okay Miles, you’re in cabin C east with Peter and Owen,” Patty handed him a name tag to put on his shirt, “It’s those bright red buildings past the field. Your bunk will have your name and your schedule on it and someone will bring your suitcase to you by dinner time, okay?”</p><p>Miles nodded and put his name tag on his dark blue camp shirt, wearing it proudly.</p><p>“What about me?” the little girl asked with a timid voice.</p><p>“Flora Wingrave…” the older woman flipped through her list, tapping her pen against the paper with an accomplished grin, “You’re in cabin B west with Rebecca and Dani, who I see you’ve already met.” She chuckled down at the eight year old who was bouncing on her toes with excitement, “Same thing goes for you, hun, everything’s on your bunk and we’ll bring your bags around soon.”</p><p>Flora nodded eagerly and put her name tag on as well, grinning up at Dani before they started walking. “Dani, do I get to live in those lovely blue buildings over there?” she pointed across the way to the row of blue cabins that were a whole football field across from the red ones.</p><p>“You sure do. The girls bunks are on the west side, and the boys are on the east. But it’s easier just to go by the colors,” she nodded before looking down at Miles, “Is it okay if we drop you off at your cabin first?”</p><p>He looked a little unsure, but he nodded bravely and smiled up at her, baring his teeth in the grin when she squeezed his hand proudly.</p><p>She could do this. Working with kids was what she was meant to do. </p><p>“Come on,” she ushered them down the small hill towards the field, a bit of commotion catching her attention as they passed the tree she’d been standing by not too long before.</p><p>“Oi, go to your bunks! I don’t wanna see a single one of your wretched little faces til dinner,” Jamie was laughing as kids grabbed onto her arms, attacking her with love and affection from every angle despite her obviously playful dislike for them. She was confusing, that’s for sure. Even more confusing that the kids all seemed to adore her. </p><p>Green eyes lifted to meet her own again, causing Dani’s breath to catch in her throat. And she caught sight of the girl’s devilish smirk and wink just before averting her gaze, keeping her eyes on the path in front of them.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>Dani truly couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy, or had so much fun. And to think, she was surrounded by elementary schoolers. She and Rebecca had a cabin of about twelve girls between ages six and nine. There were a few that were brand new, some who had only been to camp a few times, and some who were seasoned regulars and were there every summer.<p>It was awkward and tense, especially for the new girls. But Rebecca turned on the stereo, letting the girls unpack and get settled in to just about every pop song she had on the mix tape she’d put on. And not long after, the girls in cabin B went from quiet and shy to loud and outgoing. They sang and danced along to Cyndi Lauper and Madonna until everyone was relaxed and comfortable. </p><p>Once bags were unpacked into their individual trunks and the walls were decorated with the girls’ photos from home, they all sat around, getting to know each other while Rebecca went over the rules. </p><p>Lights out at nine unless it was a campfire night, which were every Friday and Saturday (with the exception of the welcome back bonfire after tonight’s dinner). No one was allowed to go anywhere alone, so buddies were assigned. Flora was delighted to be buddied up with a girl around her age named Nellie, and Dani was glad to see that she’d already made a friend. </p><p>After having everyone look over the schedule, making sure they knew what time breakfast, lunch, and dinner were, it was about time to go out for some free play outside before dinner in the mess hall. </p><p>“Everyone remember your buddies!” Rebecca called out into the cabin as she fixed a fanny pack around her waist and slid her sunglasses on, “Outside the cabin, if you need to use the bathroom, you don’t have to bring <em>your</em> buddy, but bring <em>a</em> buddy, okay?”</p><p>The girls rang out in a chorus of agreement as they ran out onto the field where other kids and a few counselors were lining up for a game of red rover. </p><p>“Dani, are you going to play?” Flora grabbed onto her hand and grinned up at her as Nellie took Dani’s other.</p><p>“You guys want me to?” she laughed a bit at how eagerly the eight and seven year olds nodded in response, “Okay, I will if you will.”</p><p>The teenager and two girls joined in with one team where some of the other kids and counselors we’re linking together, holding hands in two opposing straight lines for the game. Dani scoured the field, watching a few counselors hanging out on the sidelines to watch the game. Some kids were playing tether ball or going down the slide on the playground. But it seemed like most of the camp was ready to either watch or play red rover.</p><p>“Who goes first?” one of the older kids on Dani’s side called across the distance.</p><p>“We do!”</p><p>Blue eyes shot across the field to find the source of the familiar voice. Sure enough, there was Jamie in the center of her team, holding tight to a younger boy’s hand on one side and a slightly older girl’s on the other. And she was wearing the same denim shorts that Mrs. Lloyd had told her to change out of earlier. </p><p>“Why should you get to?” one of the male counselors from Dani’s team challenged.</p><p>“Cause I called it first,” Jamie shot back across the field with her tongue sticking out, making the other kids laugh before they huddled up in a group, whispering together who seemed like the weakest link on the opposing team before straightening out into a line again.</p><p>“Red rover, red rover, send Cassidy right over!” the whole team chanted in unison. Dani didn’t know who Cassidy was, but a few members of her team seemed to be hyping up a little girl who couldn’t have been older than seven, telling her which pair of arms to try to break through on the other side. And before too long, the little blonde-haired girl was running across the grass as fast as she could. But she wasn’t strong enough to break through the linked arms of the opposing team. And by game rules, she now belonged to the other side. </p><p>With her team huddling up for their turn, one of the senior staffers picked a random child from the other team by the name of Ryan. And once everyone knew his name, they were back in a horizontal line, holding hands as they shouted across the field.</p><p>“Red rover, red rover, send Ryan right over!” </p><p>A little boy about Miles’s age came barreling across the field, but was eventually added to their team for failing to break through the chain. </p><p>The game went on for a little while longer. Some kids or counselors from each team managed to break through the opposing teams chain of arms, bringing someone from the opposing team back to join their own as a reward. If Dani were to be completely honest with herself, she was pretty sure she was having more fun than the kids. A few had quit the game to go do other activities before dinner, but a good amount of them were still playing. </p><p>The opposing team huddled up, only about ten of them now, including Jamie, versus the mere six on Dani’s side. But winning or losing, everyone was having a good time. And the kids and staffers on the sidelines were entertained by it all.</p><p>Once the team across the field straightened back out, Dani couldn’t help but notice the smirk that had found its way back to Jamie’s face. What was she always smirking about?</p><p>“Red rover, red rover, send Poppins right over!” the team called out. The second the nickname hit Dani’s ears, her cheeks flamed up with embarrassment. She knew that was her, not that anyone else seemed to know, considering her team was all whispering in confusion, wondering who they were talking about. </p><p>Letting go of Flora’s hand (they’d lost Nellie to the other team before she decided to sit on the sidelines with her older sister Shirley), Dani wiped the clamminess from her palms on her shorts, catching one more glimpse of Jamie’s smug grin on the other side before making a run for it. </p><p>Knowing one of the older, stronger staff members was coming, the kids tensed up, holding hands a little tighter so she couldn’t break through. But much to Dani’s delight, she managed to break through a boy and girl, raising her arms up in victory while her team cheered for her. </p><p>“Jamie, get Jamie!” the kids on her team shouted at her from the other side of the field, clearly needing another strong team member if they wanted any chance of winning the game. </p><p>Biting her pink, glossed lip, Dani smirked as she approached the brunette, feeling a little cocky. The kids on Jamie’s team were shaking their heads, begging her not to take their strongest team member. But she took the other girl’s hand and dragged her across the field like a trophy. Her team was cheering, the game-watchers from the sidelines were throwing enraptured “oohs” and laughing at the expense of Jamie’s former team.</p><p>“Welcome to the team,” Dani muttered quietly, matching Jamie’s amused smirk with one of her own. </p><p>“Think you just wanted an excuse to hold my hand,” the brunette just looked down at where Dani had linked their fingers together before raising her head with a quirked eyebrow.</p><p>Dani shook her head with a shy grin, trying not to focus on how Jamie was squeezing her fingers and how soft the hand felt in hers. “It’s just to get you across the field,” she rolled her eyes, tucking her feathered bangs back from her eyes. </p><p>“And now that we’re here?” Jamie asked once they’d come to a stop at the other end, noting that Dani still hadn’t released her firm grip on her fingers.</p><p>But the blonde could hardly get her mouth open to speak before Flora approached them with a grin. “Hello, Jamie. My name’s Flora,” the little girl grinned up at her.</p><p>“Hey there, you’ve got a name just like a flower,” Jamie ruffled the girl’s hair affectionately with her free hand, making her giggle. </p><p>“It <em>means</em> flower! In Latin!” </p><p>“Well,” Jamie crouched down in front of her with a gentle smile, “Flowers are one of my favorite things in the <em>world</em>. So I think you and I are gonna be good friends, yeah?” She chuckled at Flora’s eager nod, not paying any mind to the way the little girl broke her hand free from Dani’s so she could hold both of theirs at the same time to keep playing the game. </p><p>Dani, however, couldn’t help but lock her eyes on the brunette over Flora’s head, eyeing her profile as if it could tell her everything there was to know about this mysterious girl she was so intrigued by.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we’re still on the first day of camp. just a bit longer of a chapter this time, love that for us. thank you to my bestie plant em for being my support reader &lt;3333</p>
<p>tw for a lil homophobia. also we’re just gonna pretend that dani is practically a foreigner even though she’s from the same country. just go with it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She wasn’t sure how it started, but it was over before she could even process it. Not even fifteen minutes into dinner, a clump of mashed potatoes went flying through the air, landing in the lap of a random child across the mess hall. Followed by another that hit a girl by the windows. And while looking around to see where the flying food was coming from, Dani found herself with a glob of wet, runny, macaroni and cheese on the front of her shirt. </p>
<p>And before she could even think about anything besides the warm cheese seeping through her shirt and onto her chest, someone said it. Yelled it. <em>Screamed</em> it through the mess hall.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>“FOOD FIGHT!!!”</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>And that was all it took before mashed potatoes, macaroni &amp; cheese, baked beans, and chunks of roast chicken were flying through the air, being thrown around by a hundred children. Some were screaming, dodging the flying food and ducking under the tables. Some were actively throwing it around, squeezing ketchup and mustard bottles to add to the chaos despite the senior staffers (and some of the less childish counselors) trying to put an end to it. </p>
<p>Attempting to be one of the responsible ones, Dani attempted to stop the girls at her table from throwing anything else. Even innocent little Flora was throwing food around at her bunk mates and her brother who wasn’t too far away. And Rebecca was squealing with laughter as she fought off Peter, who insisted on smearing ketchup across her face; Obviously not helping. </p>
<p>She was about to stand up and attempt to make her way to the door, unsure of what else she could do. But a silver serving bowl of baked beans suddenly found its way onto her head like a helmet, covering her head, neck, and shoulders with the side dish that was now dripping down her body.</p>
<p>About five seconds too late for her to get pummeled with beans, a loud whistle blew, echoing through the hall before it got terrifyingly quiet.</p>
<p>“What do you all think you’re doing?” Viola called out, her voice loud and booming enough to be heard clearly through the whole room, “It’s the first day of camp and already, someone has decided to start a food fight?”</p>
<p>The room was silent as campers and counselors, both innocent and guilty hung their heads in shame. Dani was still sitting, frozen solid with a bowl of beans on her head, too stunned to move. And with Mrs. Lloyd watching, frankly, she was too <em>scared</em> to move. </p>
<p>“Those of you who are new here, I would just like to have you know that this is <em>not</em> how we behave at B.L.Y. . And your fellow campers and <em>counselors</em> should know better than to set such a poor example,” she huffed, exasperated as she looked around at the food that covered the mess hall’s new paint job, “I’m honestly tempted to cancel tonight’s welcome back bonfire.”</p>
<p>A murmured rumble of disappointment echoed through the room at that. </p>
<p>“Well, unless someone wants to come forward and admit to starting it and find <em>themselves</em> banned from the bonfire so they can clean this mess up, then you can all expect your night to consist of showers and a two hour early lights out,” Viola snapped, eyeing the room as if she were scanning it for perpetrators.</p>
<p>“I did it,” a raspy voice from right behind Dani called out into the large, silent room.</p>
<p>“Jamie Taylor,” Viola sighed, taking in a deep, cleansing breath as a few kids snickered, amused at Jamie’s antics, “Why am I not surprised?”</p>
<p>Dani eased the bowl off her head and glanced back at the girl who seemed to be standing her ground with only the slightest bit of shame behind her.</p>
<p>“Well,” Viola huffed again, pressing her lips into a firm line before looking out into the crowd of kids, “I hope you all managed to eat enough before you decided to throw your dinner around. If you didn’t, you can thank Jamie, here.”</p>
<p>The teenage brunette curtsied sarcastically in her camp shorts, making a few kids laugh.</p>
<p>“Now I want all of you to go clean yourselves up. I don’t want to see a single food-covered body around the campfire tonight,” Viola demanded, watching as the kids all got up out of their seats, sliding a bit on the floor that was coated in slippery food remains. </p>
<p>“And Jamie,” the camp director looked directly towards the rebellious teenager as campers began to file out of the cafeteria, “I’ll be contacting your father about this.”</p>
<p>“Oh, come on, Vi. Why call it a mess hall if you can’t make a little mess?” Jamie groaned as she slumped into a seat that was covered in ketchup. But she was covered in just about everything else, so what difference did it make? “I changed out of my cut-offs at least.”</p>
<p>“Clean it up, Jamie, I don’t care how long it takes,” the dark-haired woman turned on her heel to go back to her office.</p>
<p>“But I’ve got Caterpillars in the morning!” she shouted after her.</p>
<p>Viola rounded the corner, calling back, “Should’ve thought of that sooner.”</p>
<p>“Fuck,” the teenager cursed under her breath, kicking the nearest chair.</p>
<p>Dani, still too stunned to move (and grossed out by the feeling of beans dripping into her bra), was soon left the only one in the room with her. And without the excessive amount of kids and staff to fill the seats, suddenly she felt so small in the large room.</p>
<p>“Sorry about that. Mob mentality,” Jamie sighed and crossed the small space to take the silver bowl from the blonde’s stiff, polished fingers. </p>
<p>“<em>You</em> put the bowl over my head?” blue eyes looked at her incredulously as she opened up a nearby closet, pulling out a squeegee, a mop, and several rags.</p>
<p>And unashamed, without a single regret, Jamie just shrugged and nodded, muttering out a simple, “yeah,” in response. As if it were nothing. </p>
<p>“Jamie, you—“</p>
<p>“I was just having a bit of fun,” the brunette defended herself, “It’s the first day of camp, some of these kids need to loosen up and enjoy themselves. All day today, have you seen your new friend Miles smile as big as he was just a few minutes ago?”</p>
<p>Dani just sighed. She knew where Jamie was coming from. Kids needed to have fun, she just wished it wasn’t so messy. “Well, no. But to be fair, I couldn’t really see <em>anything</em> with mashed potato in my eye,” she muttered, lifting herself up out of her chair. She was adjusting to the feeling of the beans in her shirt, but now they were getting cold, making it even more uncomfortable than before.</p>
<p>“Well, he looked like he was having the time of his life,” Jamie shrugged, wheeling the custodian’s mop bucket towards the kitchen, “Sometimes kids need that. Just to break free from the structure and the rules. It’s those little...spontaneous moments that make life worth living.”</p>
<p>Dani watched as a solemn sincerity took over Jamie’s face. She didn’t know this girl, or her story. To any passerby, she was probably just some punk teenager who liked getting into trouble just to get attention. But she felt like there was something more than that to her. It was intriguing. <em>She</em> was intriguing. </p>
<p>Not only that, but Jamie’s words hit a little too close to home. Dani had spent all her life following rules, keeping her head down, her grades good, and her reputation squeaky clean to avoid any trouble or complications in the future that was being planned for her. And she was miserable. Not that she would admit it to anyone else. She was only just now starting to feel free, here at this camp in Vermont, away from home for the first time. </p>
<p>“Somethin’ on your mind, Poppins?” </p>
<p>Jamie’s voice brought her back as she glanced around the empty but messy room, “No, just...wondering if I can help you clean up,” she shook her head, starting to collect the silver serving bowls from the tables around her. </p>
<p>“<em>You</em> wanna help <em>me?</em>” the brunette chuckled in disbelief as she watched her move around the mess hall.</p>
<p>Dani didn’t say anything in response. She just shrugged her shoulders, holding the large, stacked serving bowls in the crook of her arm as she approached her slowly, being careful not to slip on spilled ketchup. </p>
<p>Thin eyebrows raised curiously on Jamie’s mustard-coated forehead as she watched her every move, feeling her mouth start to go dry at the sight of a gorgeous blonde approaching her so slowly, not breaking eye contact. Her throat bobbed, swallowing thickly as she found herself suddenly toe to toe with Dani, formerly pristine white keds just barely brushing against her already filthy converse.</p>
<p>Looking down between them, the brunette eyed their feet curiously and distractedly, her mind and heart suddenly racing. Who the hell knew that the anxious little blonde she met this afternoon would have her practically cowering against the wall? She raised her head again, eyebrows knit firmly together. But her green eyes just barely caught sight of Dani’s icy blue ones before she found herself covered in soupy baked beans to match her cafeteria companion. </p>
<p>Her mouth gaped in surprise, clearly not expecting that that would happen. Not from Dani, of all people. “Guess I deserved that,” she mumbled through a chuckle, lifting the serving bowl off her head. She managed to catch a glimpse of Dani failing to fight back an amused smile before the mess dripped into her eyes.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you did,” the blonde couldn’t help but chuckle, pressing one of the clean rags into the other girl’s hand so she had something to at least clear her eyes with. She wanted her revenge, but she wasn’t heartless. And now that she’d gotten it, she began to slowly walk backwards towards the door that lead outside, grinning smugly to herself as Jamie wiped her face and eyes clean.</p>
<p>“I— hey!” Jamie called after her once she could open her eyes again, gesturing around to the food-coated hall, “Thought you were gonna help me.”</p>
<p>Dani cringed playfully, though it was really just an evil smile, “No, sorry, I’ve got a bonfire to get ready for,” she sighed, still walking backwards carefully and laughing at the look of shock and dejection on Jamie’s face. </p>
<p>“Oh, that’s cold, Poppins,” Jamie’s laugh was dripping with sarcasm as cold baked beans literally dripped from her hair down to the floor, “That cuts me real deep, I’ll have you know.”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” she sing-songed, turning on her heels to leave through the wooden double doors.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>The bonfire was fun. Chaotic, but fun. About a hundred and fifty people, kids and staff, surrounding a few large bonfires: manageable. About fifty staff members and a hundred kids stuffed with marshmallows and chocolate so close to bedtime: mayhem.<p>It was good that the staff at least <em>tried</em> to have a system to make sure no one ran off or got lost. They hadn’t lost anyone yet. The kids at the camp, despite some of their horrible influences, were well-behaved. Then again, they were only aged six to twelve. If it were a camp for teenagers, it might be a whole other story. But with the younger kids, even if they didn’t run off into the woods to do god knows what, there were still several near-burns, a few tears over spilled or burnt marshmallows, and at least one accidental almost trip and fall into one of the fires. </p>
<p>Regardless of the chaos, Dani was happy. Happy to be <em>clean</em>, having scrubbed away the smell of beans and chicken from her skin. She managed to forget all about the food fight and just be in the moment with the kids. They sang “Baby Shark” way too many times for her liking, played games, made s’mores, and by the end of it, Flora, Nellie, and a few of the other girls were practically falling asleep against herself and Rebecca. The same couldn’t be said for the 10-12 year olds, unfortunately for Peter, Owen, and some of the other staffers. </p>
<p>“I think it’s time we head back,” Rebecca chuckled, attempting to free her arms from the grasps of tiny fingers.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Dani breathed a gentle laugh as she did the same. </p>
<p>As they got up, the blonde couldn’t help but glance across the field at the main building. Seeing the lights to the mess hall still on reminded her of Jamie, all alone cleaning up everyone’s mess. Sure, it was the mess <em>she</em> started, but everyone helped make it. It wasn’t fair for her to clean it all up by herself. Especially when it was such a large room. And the more she thought about it, the more she felt bad for ditching her earlier. Sure, the bonfire was fun, but Dani liked to be perceived as a good and helpful person. </p>
<p>“Come on,” Rebecca beckoned the girls up, all of them slumping and searching for their buddies. “You coming?” she turned to the blonde who still hadn’t gotten up from the log bench. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ll be there in a little bit if you don’t mind taking them,” she looked up at her with a bit of a nervous grin, “I think I’m gonna take a s’more to Jamie in the mess hall. Y’know, since she missed out.”</p>
<p>Rebecca’s sharp eyebrows raised a bit before she sighed, looking down at the girls and telling them to stay put for a minute. “Look,” she whispered, stalking over to Dani who was standing up and preparing a marshmallow on a stick, “Just...be careful with her, okay? I know you already know she’s trouble, but...there’s a lot more to it than that. You’re trapped here with us for the whole summer, I don’t want you getting tangled up with…”</p>
<p>“With what?”</p>
<p>“Just...people like her. Just cause Viola’s practically her aunt makes her think she can do whatever she wants around here without ever catching any flack for it.”</p>
<p>That little tidbit of information was new. And honestly, a little unnerving. </p>
<p>“I mean, she’s been cleaning the mess hall by herself all night. That seems like a pretty harsh punishment.”</p>
<p>“You know what I mean. Viola could catch her sleeping around with the other counselors or joyriding around town in one of the camp buses and she’d still be back here for work every summer.”</p>
<p>Her throat bobbed with a heavy swallow, taking in Rebecca’s warning. But Dani could handle herself. She really just wanted to make friends. And besides Rebecca and some of the senior staffers, Jamie was the only one who had made the effort to befriend her.</p>
<p>Flicking her tongue over her suddenly dry lips, she thought about what her co-counselor had said about Jamie sleeping around the camp. If she were to judge her at first glance by her looks and behavior, maybe she would believe it. But she didn’t believe in judging people before you got to know them. Lord knows she hated when people did that to her. “Has she…?” </p>
<p>“Has she what?”</p>
<p>Dani looked around to make sure no one, especially no kids, were too close to hear, before lowering her voice to a whisper anyway, “Slept around with other counselors?”</p>
<p>Rebecca was silent for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. “All I know are rumors. She’s not really the type to talk to anyone but the kids or Viola unless she has some kind of ulterior motive. So just...be careful. I know she’s already taken an interest in you.”</p>
<p>“How do you know that?”</p>
<p><em>“Poppins?”</em> she cocked an eyebrow at her, “Jamie doesn’t give silly little nicknames to just anybody.”</p>
<p>Dani felt her cheeks flame up with heat again as she glanced down at her shoes, unsure of what to say.</p>
<p>“But,” Rebecca continued, “The last girl she gave a nickname to was never heard from again, so…”</p>
<p>Blue eyes widened as she drew the worst possible scenario in her head, “What?”</p>
<p>“Oh, she’s not <em>dead</em>, I just mean she got caught doing some stupid shit with Jamie. Sneaking into Viola’s office to fuck with the schedules or <em>on</em> the schedules...I don’t remember.”</p>
<p>Dani’s eyes remained wide as saucers as her throat became dry, unsure of what to say. </p>
<p>“Beccaaa,” one of the girls called sleepily from a few yards away, obviously tired and ready to go to bed.</p>
<p>“I’ll be right there,” she called back before turning to Dani again, “Just...keep that in mind, okay? I can tell you’re a good fit here, I don’t want her to ruin it for you.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m not gonna…<em>do</em> anything with her, I mean...I-I’m not—“</p>
<p>“Oh god, no, Dani,” Rebecca grimaced, shaking her head at the very idea, “I didn’t think you would. I just wouldn’t put it past <em>her</em> to try.”</p>
<p>Nodding with a dry throat, the blonde gave her co-counselor a stammered “thanks” before waving her and the girls off and turning back to the fire, toying with the squishy marshmallow in her hand. Did she really want to be a good person right now? After everything Rebecca had said...was she still going to try to befriend Jamie? She was still nice to her. Maybe she shouldn’t be as trusting as she normally was. Last thing she wanted was to ruin her chances here. She’d have to live in her car if she got fired. Last thing she wanted was to have to go back home. </p>
<p>But she could handle herself. That seemed to be the one thing people seemed to underestimate her on: control. She may have been a constant ball of anxiety, always wondering what people were thinking of her, but she knew right from wrong. And she was surprisingly good at reading people sometimes. </p>
<p>Squaring her shoulders, she huffed to herself and put two marshmallows on a stick, holding them in the fire until they were a blackened before sandwiching them between two graham crackers and a few chocolate pieces. Once the little dessert was constructed, she wrapped it in a napkin and headed across the field. </p>
<p>She didn’t know what she was expecting when she opened the mess hall door, but Jamie had made a lot of progress. The walls were wiped clean and about half the tables and chairs. And the brunette (who was unaware of her presence due to a rather loud little stereo blasting Pat Benatar’s “Shadows of the Night”) was squeegeeing the floor with probably another few hours worth of work.</p>
<p>Approaching slowly, she tried not to laugh at how Jamie seemed so lost in the music, singing along like no one was listening. For all she knew, no one was. She’d managed to walk all the way up to her back, somehow still undetected, but now she was nervous. She didn’t want to scare her, or embarrass her. Dani knew she personally hated it when she got caught singing or dancing with an audience. </p>
<p>“Jamie,” she muttered meekly, but not loud enough to be heard over the music. Clenching her jaw, she reached out with a stiff finger to tap her shoulder, eliciting a near shriek from the other girl, which, in turn, caused her to shriek as well. </p>
<p>“Christ, Poppins, hold a gun to my head next time. Make the kill a lot faster,” Jamie held a gloved hand over her heart, reaching for the small stereo she’d placed on top of the janitor’s cart and turning the music down.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, I just wanted to see how you were doing and, um...I brought you this,” she held up the napkin-wrapped s’more, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. </p>
<p>“What’s that?” </p>
<p>“I-it’s a s’more,” she grinned, releasing a shaky breath, “I figured you might still want one even though you couldn’t come to the bonfire.”</p>
<p>Jamie’s eyebrows raised to her hairline as Dani practically shoved the wrapped sandwich into her hand, eyeing her up and down and taking in her nervous demeanor. “Viola’s gonna be proper cross with you if she finds out you’ve been smuggling food to her prisoner,” she chuckled, clearly joking as she sat down in one of the less dirty chairs that she hadn’t gotten to cleaning yet, taking off her gloves.</p>
<p>“Oh,” the blonde glanced around, hoping that the camp director wasn’t anywhere around. </p>
<p>“I’m kidding.”</p>
<p>Dani just laughed nervously, running her hand over her arm, feeling a little bare without her bangles, bracelets, and hair accessories. All she had on now was a bright pink hair tie holding her still-damp hair in a braid that was draped over her shoulder. </p>
<p>“Forgive me for sounding so presumptuous, but...do I make you nervous or something?” Jamie eyed her suspiciously, slowly unwrapping the s’more with one leg draped over the other, ankle resting on her knee. </p>
<p>Furrowing her eyebrows, Dani just looked at her incredulously, as if to say ‘how dare you?’.</p>
<p>“No,” she scoffed, acting offended, though her rigid nature didn’t falter.</p>
<p>“You’re just like this all the time, then?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know...what you mean,” she breathed in deeply, trying to hold her head high and confident. Maybe Jamie did make her nervous. Extremely nervous, even before she’d learned more about her from Rebecca. She couldn’t let it show. But the look on Jamie’s face told her that she was failing. And it only took a few more moments of silent, smug staring from the brunette to get her to give up. “Okay, I guess I’m like this all the time. Is it that obvious?”</p>
<p>“Nothing about me, then? You’re just always nervous?” she smirked, running her fingertip over the grooved edge of the graham cracker.</p>
<p>“I-I mean...maybe I get a little more nervous around you. Just cause you’re…”</p>
<p>Thin brows raised curiously again as green eyes pierced through her, silently demanding answers.</p>
<p>“Intimidating.”</p>
<p>“Intimidating?” she looked shocked, but pleased to hear, still not taking her eyes off the ball of nerves that was Dani, “And yet you still went through the trouble of bringing little intimidating ol’ me a s’more from the bonfire when you could’ve forgotten all about me?”</p>
<p>Dani pressed her lips into a tight line, unsure of how to answer. Only her eyes, wide and innocent, begged for mercy from the relentless taunting.</p>
<p>“Poppins, you flirt.”</p>
<p>Somehow, despite that comment making Dani’s blood pressure rise through the roof, she couldn’t help but relax her shoulders and laugh, dropping her face into her hands.</p>
<p>“There we are,” Jamie’s voice, more gentle, less teasing filled her ears before she looked up to see her propping one shoe on the edge of the table so she could recline back on the metal chair legs, “S’not so bad, right?”</p>
<p>“I guess not. Just...being in a new place, new people...away from what I’m used to…” she sighed and watched as Jamie gently nudged a cleaner chair in her direction, silently extending the invitation for her to sit and join her. “It’s a lot,” she mumbled, sinking down into the chair and leaning her elbows onto her knees. </p>
<p>“Can’t say I can relate. Lived here my whole life,” Jamie snorted, shaking her head almost regretfully before biting into the s’more. </p>
<p>Dani couldn’t help but smile a little as she bit into it. But her heart was back in her throat when she watched her still, cringe, and turn her head to spit what she had chewed back into the napkin. </p>
<p>“We...” she started, unapologetically swiping her tongue with her napkin before taking a swig from a can of pepsi, “...are going to have to teach you have to make a proper s’more, Poppins. Is that what you’ve been eating all night?”</p>
<p>“I-It tasted fine to me. That’s how I’ve always made them,” Dani shook her head, confused. How do you mess up a s’more?</p>
<p>“You like the taste of charcoal in your mouth,” Jamie nodded, “Noted.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t that burnt…”</p>
<p>“I may as well have been chewing a lit cigarette,” the brunette chuckled, but looking back over at her, she could see that her joking was falling on deaf ears as Dani’s eyes shined with embarrassed tears. “No, hey,” she took her foot down from the table and pulled her chair closer to Dani’s, resting her hands on her knees over her baggy sweatpants, “It’s all good. Just something I can teach you later.”</p>
<p>Glassy blue eyes, looked into hers and Jamie couldn’t help but feel bad. She always learned the hard way that her sense of humor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. </p>
<p>“Well, shit,” she grabbed a napkin from the dispenser and handed it over for her to wipe her slowly falling tears, “Pretty new girl does something nice for me, and in return, I make her cry. I dumped all the beans into the bin but I guess you can dunk my head in dirty mop water if you wanna get your revenge on me again.”</p>
<p>A laugh bubbled from Dani’s chest again as she wiped her eyes, this time unable to stop laughing. For all the crazy things she heard about Jamie, the brunette probably thought she was even crazier at this point.</p>
<p>“You all right?” hands were still on her knees, thumbs rubbing gentle strokes over her sweats. But she could feel the warmth through the fabric as if her hands were on her bare knees. And that warmth spread through her whole body. </p>
<p>“Y-yeah, I’m sorry,” she sniffled, wiping under her eyes with the napkin once more. </p>
<p>“Not the first girl I’ve made cry,” Jamie shrugged, “Never felt as bad about it as I do now, though. You sure you don’t wanna dunk my head in the mop water?”</p>
<p>Laughing, Dani just shook her head, resting her hands on her lap, not far from where Jamie’s hands were still on her knees.</p>
<p>The brunette just stared across the small distance at her, a bit of a smile playing at her lips. Not a smirk, no smug grin, an actual smile. “Lucky me, then, she’s merciful,” she got up, playfully wiping her forehead with relief, “I mean it, though, Poppins. By the end of camp, I’m gonna make you a s’more master.”</p>
<p>“Looking forward to it,” Dani rolled her eyes with a snorted laugh, grinning up at her.</p>
<p>“Yeah...Me too.”</p>
<p>The tone of Jamie’s voice sent a shiver through her. She was just being friendly. Girls were overly friendly with their friends all the time. Only, they weren’t friends. As far as Dani was concerned, they were still basically strangers. </p>
<p>“So you’ve, um...you’ve lived here your whole life?” she cleared her throat, “That’s what you said?”</p>
<p>“I have,” Jamie nodded, picking up the squeegee again, getting back to work on the floor, “All eighteen years.”</p>
<p>Dani grinned, finding something they had in common besides this job, “I’m eighteen too.”</p>
<p>“But <em>you</em>,” the squeegee pushed the food mess across the floor, leaving behind a mess that the mop could tackle, “You’re not from around here.”</p>
<p>“How do you know that?” </p>
<p>“No offense, Poppins, but you talk kinda funny,” she smirked in her direction, accompanying it with a wink, hoping that it would convey the joking nature of her words. She didn’t want this girl to start crying again otherwise she might just have to dunk her <em>own</em> head in the mop water.</p>
<p>Breathing out a laugh, Dani just ducked her head to hide her blush, though it was just consistent around Jamie anyway. “Iowa,” she nodded, looking back up at her as she worked. </p>
<p>“What brings you all the way to our quaint little slice of the country?”</p>
<p>“School. College,” she answered, trying to sound a bit more proud of herself. She <em>was</em> proud of herself. But back home, they beat it into her head that heading east was a stupid mistake, “I’m starting to the University of Vermont in the fall.”</p>
<p>“Lemme guess, education major?”</p>
<p>“What gave it away?”</p>
<p>Jamie just shrugged, crinkling up her nose, holding the handle of the squeegee tight in her hands as she leaned against it. “You want the realistic answer or the ‘Jamie’ answer?”</p>
<p>“The ‘Jamie’ answer isn’t realistic?” Dani quirked her eyebrow at her this time, confused.</p>
<p>“I guess it is, but it’s more...observant, I suppose.”</p>
<p>Still confused, Dani shifted in her chair, holding her hands between her knees tightly, “I’ll take the realistic answer.”</p>
<p>Breathing a laugh of her own, Jamie kept moving the rubber broom across the floor. “We get a lot of education majors passing through here, considering we’re near a college town. Not a lot of professions require you to work with kids, and I don’t know anyone who would just do it for fun. Y’know, unless they’re of the pervert variety.”</p>
<p>“So you’re an education major?”</p>
<p>“Hell no.”</p>
<p>“You work here for fun?”</p>
<p>“Another hell no.”</p>
<p>“So...you’re a pervert?”</p>
<p>“Dani!” Jamie shot a look in her direction, making it impossible for the blonde to contain her giggles. </p>
<p>“Well, what else is there? Those seemed to be all the options you named,” she got out after a bit of a laughing fit, though she was still reeling after hearing her actual name come from Jamie’s mouth for the first time. </p>
<p>“Pure nepotism,” Jamie chuckled, shaking her head, “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. Viola’s an old friend of my dad’s. Pretty much my godmother. She makes me work the summers. But this year it’s more of a punishment cause I refuse to go to college.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“Probably cause she doesn’t want me sitting on my ass getting myself into trouble.”</p>
<p>“No, I mean...why won’t you go to college?”</p>
<p>“Waste of time. Waste of money,” she shrugged, “Nothing college can teach me that I can’t learn from a book or a little networking.”</p>
<p>“What do you do when you’re not working here for the summer?”</p>
<p>“You’re certainly full of questions, aren’t you?” Jamie chuckled over her shoulder as she swept more of the food off the floor.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I’m just...curious.”</p>
<p>“Consider me flattered,” she smirked, though it was hidden with her back turned, “I do groundskeeping, if you must know. I would do it after school and on the weekends for little old ladies who can’t tend their own gardens anymore, neighborhood folks who need their hedges trimmed. A few odd jobs here and there.”</p>
<p>Dani got up from her chair, reaching for a rag so she could help get the rest of the tables and chairs cleaned up.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” Jamie turned, eyeing the rag in her hands and the way she leaned over to wipe the tables down.</p>
<p>“Helping. Figured if I’m gonna be in here distracting you, I might as well help and speed up the process.”</p>
<p>“Well, you are quite the distraction.”</p>
<p>Heat tingled in Dani’s face again, but she ducked her head, staying focused on wiping macaroni and cheese onto the floor that Jamie hadn’t cleaned yet. “I didn’t want you to be here all night. Not when you have...what did you call it? Caterpillars?”</p>
<p>The groan that Jamie let out told Dani that whatever it was, she didn’t want to do it, “Ugh, don’t remind me.”</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“Pretty much my own little gardening club with the peewees. The six and seven year olds,” she mumbled, “A whole hour and a half with’em right after breakfast.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re in charge of the gardening activities?”</p>
<p>“Yep,” she popped the ‘P’, lacking any other enthusiasm.</p>
<p>“Miles is signed up for gardening. He’s ten, so I guess he’s not one of your caterpillars?”</p>
<p>“Wingrave?” Jamie looked over her shoulder to see Dani nod, “One of my butterflies with the ten through twelve year olds. Got him tomorrow during the last activity block. The eight and nine year olds, my bumblebees, I’ve got after lunch.”</p>
<p>“Cute group names,” Dani scrunched up her nose, “Were the names your idea?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, right. If I had it my way, it would be the gremlins, the parasites, and the little shits.”</p>
<p>The blonde couldn’t help but laugh, though she wouldn’t be surprised if Jamie was serious, “Do you really not like kids?”</p>
<p>“They’re all right,” she shrugged her shoulders, stopping her mop to stretch her shoulders a bit before getting right back into it. </p>
<p>“They seem to adore you.”</p>
<p>“Just gotta know how to talk to’em, is all,” Jamie shrugged again, focusing on mopping. “Kids don’t wanna hear bullshit. They can see right through people and they’re intuitive as <em>fuck</em>. They just wanna be treated normally and not patronized. Especially the older ones. Last thing they want is to be talked to like the six year olds. I talk to’em like I’d talk to anyone else. Guess they like that. Makes them feel respected or something.”</p>
<p>Dani slowed her scrubbing as she thought about what Jamie was saying. She was pretty guilty, herself, of talking to all kids just about the same way. She didn’t use baby talk on any of them, but maybe she did come off a little patronizing at times. </p>
<p>“I never thought about that,” she mumbled quietly, clearing her throat over the quiet music from the stereo. </p>
<p>“Well, we can’t all be naturally good with kids,” Jamie smirked back at her again. At this point, Dani didn’t know why she bothered hiding her blush. The rosy hue was practically permanent on her cheeks now. And Jamie didn’t seem to have any plans to stop throwing little grins in her direction.</p>
<p><em>“Just be careful with her,”</em> Rebecca’s voice echoed in her head suddenly. Maybe she was a little rough around the edges, but Jamie seemed harmless enough. Rebecca had known her for years, though. Dani had hardly known her for a full day. </p>
<p>She didn’t have many good friends besides Eddie, but from what she knew now, Jamie could be a good friend. Though, the nervous flapping of butterfly wings in her stomach wasn’t anything she’d ever felt with Eddie before. But that was probably just the nerves and excitement of finally making a good friend here. Who knows, maybe after the summer ended, they’d be penpals and stay in contact. They could do that. </p>
<p>Though, she’d miss the things that made Jamie so endearing. The piercing but soft green eyes, the devilish grin that spread on her face whenever she made a joke or gave her a compliment. She liked compliments from Jamie. They filled her with a warmth that she’d never—</p>
<p>“So. Poppins,” Jamie squeezed the water from the mop before wiping sweat from her brow, “Do I get to ask you some questions now or are we saving that for the second date?”</p>
<p>Rebecca’s voice was back in her head, warning her about what happened to the last girl that Jamie had blessed with a nickname. She wondered what that nickname was, or if she just recycled ‘Poppins’ every summer for someone new. And she wondered what happened that got that other girl fired. </p>
<p>“Why do you call me Poppins?” Dani blurted nervously, making Jamie look over at her with concern. Probably for how red she was or how her fingers were starting to shake with anxious energy.</p>
<p>“Just seemed fitting,” the brunette answered as if it were the simplest thing, “Works with kids, looking like you flew down here from a cloud.”</p>
<p>“D-do you have nicknames for...a lot of people?” she was almost afraid to know the answer. The possibility of her saying no made her nervous. Because then she would be left to wonder what made her special enough to get one. Or unfortunate enough, to some people. But the possibility of a yes didn’t make her feel very good either because...maybe she <em>wanted</em> to be special to someone. Even if that someone was Jamie. Especially since Jamie was already turning out to be pretty special to her too. </p>
<p>“Just the pretty blonde ones that I catch staring at me,” there was that damn smirk again, causing her stomach to twist in a way that felt foreign. What was happening to her? </p>
<p>“I-I should go,” Dani breathed, attempting a laugh, but it came out as more of just an uncomfortable noise as she put her rag down, “I told Rebecca I would be back soon.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, wouldn’t want you getting caught past lights out. Viola will bite your head right off,” Jamie chuckled, watching Dani wipe her damp hands on her sweatpants, turning to leave abruptly, “Hey.”</p>
<p>Stopping in her tracks, Dani was stiff, holding her fists by her sides. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as if they sensed Jamie approaching behind her. But she turned to face her anyways, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible. She didn’t know what this feeling was in her stomach. It was uncomfortable, but she couldn’t tell if she liked it or not.</p>
<p>“I like your hair like this,” the brunette’s slim fingers came up, distractedly playing with the end of Dani’s braid that laid against her shoulder, “I like <em>you</em> like this. Suits you better than the feathered bangs and all the makeup, looking like you stepped off the cover of <em>Seventeen</em>.”</p>
<p>Dani looked down, watching blonde strands glide through Jamie’s pale, slim fingers. Fingers that were somehow dainty while still being well-worked through the earth’s elements. And she smelled good, oddly enough, considering she was still caked head to toe with today’s dinner. </p>
<p>“What, um…” she flicked her tongue over her suddenly dry lips, keeping her breathing as even as she could, “What was the ‘Jamie’ answer?”</p>
<p>“The what?”</p>
<p>“When I asked how you pegged me for an education major. You said there was a realistic answer and a ‘Jamie’ answer.” </p>
<p>“Oh,” Jamie stepped back with a blush on her own cheeks this time, “Well, you just...fit the mold, I guess. A lot of the time teachers, the female ones anyway, are witchy old hags or...bloody gorgeous. And when I saw you...I thought you, Poppins, had the whole...’teacher’ package. Kind eyes, brilliant smile, and just a...caring energy about you. The kind of teacher that the kids all have a crush on.”</p>
<p>Every word, every syllable, every letter that came from Jamie’s lips had Dani’s heart hitching higher and higher in her throat. And it didn’t get any easier to breathe when Jamie refused to drop the intense eye contact between them. </p>
<p>“So yeah,” the brunette suddenly pulled back, walking back to where she had left the mop, “There you have it. You better get back.”</p>
<p>“Right, y-yeah,” she stammered, nodding her head with a trying smile, “Uh, goodnight then, Jamie.”</p>
<p>“Thanks for the distraction,” was called after her and Dani could practically hear the smirk in her voice.</p>
<p>This was going to be a long summer.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>shoutout to anemia’s book club!! ily besties!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CJ IT’S TUESDAY</p>
<p>tw for a lil internalized homophobia at the end</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Tuesday June 19, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Nine Weeks Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>Falling into routine wasn’t difficult for Dani. She’d had routines all her life, so this was just another one. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays she had arts &amp; crafts with the kids. Just like Jamie with her gardening groups, she had different ages during different blocks throughout the day. Not that she was biased, but her favorite group was the one that Flora was in. She took to the younger kids a lot better. Probably because they didn’t mind her enthusiasm for the most basic things and the way she tried to make everything seem like the most fun project in the world.<p>Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the weekends were scattered. She didn’t teach activities on those days, but she would be placed throughout the camp either helping other counselors with their activities, overseeing group games and free time, or doing busy work like helping prep meals or laundry delivery. </p>
<p>She hated the busy work; Not that she hated doing the minuscule tasks. At least they kept her busy, but most of the time she was alone with nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company.</p>
<p>She tried to think about the kids, think of her schedule, think of what kind of projects they would do in her art classes the next few days. Hell, she even tried to think about her mom and how she was doing back home. But somehow, as she took a broom to the outer steps of each cabin, she found her thoughts drifting to green eyes and curly brown hair. </p>
<p>She hadn’t spoken to Jamie since the first day of camp after the bonfire. For starters, she didn’t really have the time. She was still getting used to how things worked around here, and `getting used to her own schedule. Not to mention she was constantly surrounded by kids. It was a wonder how the counselors around here seemed to form such strong bonds when they hardly had any time to talk to each other. But then again, she wasn’t quite sure that the other counselors were talking to each other the way Jamie talked to her. At least not around the kids. </p>
<p>It was...overly friendly, if Dani had to put a name to it. She didn’t have a lot of friends back in Iowa. None that were close, anyway. But girls could give each other compliments, right? That was normal. Jamie was just being friendly. According to the things that Rebecca had told her, Jamie may have been popular with the kids, but it was just the opposite with the other counselors. If anything, they avoided her like the plague, not wanting to get in trouble or fired because of her. </p>
<p>It made Dani feel a little sorry for her. She knew what it was like to be alone and she hated it. She was making plenty of acquaintances rather quickly now that she’d gotten to know some of the staff a little better. But Jamie had known some of these people for years and they seemed to want nothing to do with her. </p>
<p>Though, she did find it a little funny that as much as Jamie pretended to detest the campers, they ended up being the ones that hung around her the most. Quite literally, as Dani had often caught them hanging off of the brunette’s arms and legs, making her drag them with her wherever she went.</p>
<p>Those were the only moments she really saw Jamie all week. During meals in the mess hall and during the kids’ free play. At at least once a day, in one of those scenarios, she would look up and find green eyes looking right back at her. Not staring. It was just as if Jamie had happened to look up and notice her at the same time. Though, she played it much more cooley than Dani did, with her simple smirk and raised eyebrow in comparison to Dani’s blush and quickly averted gaze.</p>
<p>The girl was such a compelling mystery. It was like she was a novel that Dani didn’t get to finish before having to return it to the library. There was something about her that made the blonde want to know <em>everything</em>. What her favorite movie was, who her childhood role models were, if she’d broken any bones. Dani wanted to hear all of it. And if it was coming from Jamie’s raspy voice, she knew she could listen all day. </p>
<p>But she got the feeling that she wouldn’t get to. Not in a place like this. Not unless the brunette started another food fight, giving them hours to talk alone in the messy cafeteria. And with the memory of how exhausted she looked at breakfast the morning after, Dani really hoped Jamie wouldn’t put herself through that again. </p>
<p>Besides, she wasn’t working at this camp to make friends, no matter how badly she wanted to. She was at this camp to work with the kids, gain some experience to take with her on the road to her getting her degree.</p>
<p>So here she was, gaining experience by poking a bright blue B.L.Y. flag post into the grass on one far end of the main field. Being a Tuesday, it was her day to help oversee large camp activities. And today’s activity was a big game of capture the flag. Always a sucker for large, organized games, she was actually excited to play. </p>
<p>“You know how to play, right?” someone knelt down in front of where she was digging the slim pole into the ground. She didn’t even have to look up to know who it was. She knew that voice and she knew the butterflies it gave her <em>very</em> personally. </p>
<p>But she looked up anyway, seeing Jamie crouched down in rolled up camp shorts with a bit of a feisty grin on her face. “Y-yeah, I do,” she nodded, standing up to wipe the dirt off her hands, watching as the brunette followed until they were eye level once again. </p>
<p>“Good,” Jamie gave a slight nod, looking at Dani’s simple ponytail and small gold hoop earrings, “Cause my teams haven’t lost a game of capture the flag in three years. Not about to break my winning streak cause my co-captain doesn’t know how to play.”</p>
<p>“Co-captain?” her brows raised curiously.</p>
<p>“I mean, I’d prefer you over Owen, but I could swap and have you be Peter’s co-captain if you want,” Jamie gestured down the field where Peter was doing shirtless push-ups and jumping jacks to get himself hyped up for the game.</p>
<p>Dani’s initial cringe quickly turned into a laugh, which in turn caused Jamie to laugh as well. “No thanks,” she covered her mouth and turned away from Peter so she could at least try to control her laughter. Looking at him wasn’t making it any easier. “What is it with boys and acting so macho all the time?”</p>
<p>“Dunno, but glad to hear you’re not a fan, unlike the rest of the girls around here,” the brunette rolled her eyes, watching the other female counselors make googley eyes at Rebecca’s boyfriend. “But anyway,” she squared her shoulders with a sigh, “Bring your A-game, Poppins. Cause if you lose me this game, there’ll be serious consequences.”</p>
<p>A rush of nervous energy shot through Dani, causing her to let out a breathy “okay” through her last bit of laughter as she watched Jamie head up the field, yelling at Peter to put his shirt back on. She didn’t know what it was about her. Usually when Dani got nervous, she was tempted to cry or to run and hide until she calmed down. But the nervous feeling she got from Jamie was different. She liked it, strangely enough. She missed it in the last week. </p>
<p>And she craved it.</p>
<p>After the kids were divided up and the rules were explained, the game started out as pure chaos. Fun, chaos, but chaos nevertheless, just like everything else. Dani couldn’t help but laugh, watching the kids all charge in different directions, tagging each other and dragging them off the field when they were deemed “out”. It was all in good fun. Dani was hanging back on their team’s side, helping guard their flag while Jamie was in the middle of the field where the sides were divided, daring kids to try to make it past her without getting tagged. </p>
<p>Flora, who Dani had picked to be on her and Jamie’s team, was helping her guard the flag, giggling as she tagged the other kids and got to escort them off the field. But her brother, who had been picked for Peter’s team, put an end to Flora’s fun quickly when he ran across the field, dodging kids trying to tag him before shoving his sister to the ground to get past her.</p>
<p>“Miles!” Dani knelt to the ground to help Flora up, grabbing onto the back of Miles’s shirt before he could run off with the flag.</p>
<p>“You cheated!” Flora yelled at him.</p>
<p>“I did not!”</p>
<p>“You pushed me! That’s cheating!”</p>
<p>“Hey, hey, stop yelling,” Dani got between them, taking the flag from Miles with a bit of a fight as Flora began to cry.</p>
<p>“What happened?” Jamie came jogging over after calling a timeout for the game, telling the remaining players to go get some water from the coolers on the sidelines. </p>
<p>Dani eyed Miles, who just looked down at his feet. “Tell her what happened, Miles.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t do anything.”</p>
<p>“He pushed me down to get to the flag,” Flora turned to Jamie with a crumpled face.</p>
<p>“You’re a liar!” Miles shouted, making the move to push her again before Jamie pulled him back. </p>
<p>The brunette held an arm around his torso, pulling him back a few steps away from his sister. Meanwhile, Dani wrapped Flora in a hug, running her palm over the french braid she’d put in her hair that morning. She couldn’t help but worry, not knowing how Jamie disciplined kids. She was abrasive enough with them when they were <em>behaving.</em></p>
<p>But surprisingly, though their conversation was quiet, Jamie was gentle with him. Rubbing his shoulder, ruffling his hair, wiping his tears, and pulling him into a hug of his own after he nodded at something she’d said. Part of her wanted to look around to see if anyone else was catching Jamie being so...soft; wondering if it would shock anyone else. But they were the only ones left on the field. She doubted anyone would see or even care anyway. </p>
<p>“Come on, mate, let’s go apologize,” she heard Jamie’s voice in a tone that sent a tingle down her spine, watching as she pulled back from the hug and rubbed his back before ushering him back over to where Flora was still sniffling in Dani’s arms.</p>
<p>Miles approached apprehensively, wiping his blotchy cheek as he looked at his little sister. “I’m sorry for pushing you, Flora,” he mumbled sincerely.</p>
<p>“And for cheating?” the little girl whimpered through her sniffles.</p>
<p>He looked to Jamie, who just nodded, gesturing for him to apologize for that too. “And for cheating.”</p>
<p>“Go give her a hug then both of you go get some water,” Jamie nudged him forward, “Miles, I want you to sit the rest of the game out, okay?”</p>
<p>“But that’s not fair,” he frowned after giving Flora a hug, letting his sister fall against her favorite counselor again once he’d pulled away.</p>
<p>“You knew the rules when we started,” the brunette shrugged, folding her arms across her chest before crouching down to his eye level, “I think letting you sit out of the game instead of sending you to Mrs. Lloyd’s office is pretty generous, yeah?”</p>
<p>Her tone wasn’t sarcastic or spiteful. If anything, it was just as gentle as ever. She wasn’t trying to scare him into behaving like Dani assumed she would have, knowing her general attitude around the kids. And it worked, considering the ten year old just nodded his head and slumped off the field, leaving the two teenagers alone on the field with Flora.</p>
<p>“You all right, Flora?” Jamie knelt beside her next, ignoring the blue eyes that were boring right through her, “Any broken bones? Do we need to take you to the nurse? Call an ambulance? Amputate anything?”</p>
<p>The more silly suggestions Jamie let slide from her lips, the more Flora’s sniffles turned into laughter as she refused every solution Jamie playfully offered. </p>
<p>“How ‘bout some water, then?” the counselor offered her a warm smile, reaching out to nudge her little arm with a gentle fist.</p>
<p>Agreeing to the water, Flora wiped the last tear from her cheek and ran to the edge of the field towards the water table, leaving the two women kneeling in the grass behind her. </p>
<p>“What about you, Poppins? Water?” Jamie stood up straight, offering a hand to help her up. </p>
<p>“That was, um…” her words were cut off by the static shock that flowed through her fingers when she grabbed onto Jamie’s hand. She remembered the feeling of her warm palm against her own from last week during red rover. And now that nervous feeling was back. “That was really nice of you. To not punish him too harshly, I mean.”</p>
<p>Her hand stayed in Jamie’s, not wanting to let go as she stared into the bright green eyes she was getting to know so well.</p>
<p>“He’s a good kid,” Jamie shrugged, glancing briefly down at how Dani’s hand was still gripping tightly onto hers, “Troubled sort, I’m learning. But we’re workin’ on it, he and I. Got him ripping up the weeds with the Butterflies this week. And I don’t normally force the ‘hug it out’ method, but they’re siblings. They’ve gotta hold onto each other.”</p>
<p>A close-lipped smile spread on Dani’s face as she listened to her talk about Miles. She was sure Jamie didn’t want anyone to know, but she really did have a soft spot for these kids. She ran her thumb across her smooth knuckles, pulling her hand a little closer as she thought of what to say. Even if she had words in mind, the glimmer of intrigue in Jamie’s eyes would have blown them all out the window. And Dani couldn’t look away if she tried. </p>
<p>“Um...” she mumbled, flicking her tongue over her dry, unglossed lips. At this point, she was just embarrassing herself. And the heat in her face was probably obvious. </p>
<p>But Jamie pulled her hand back, showing her some mercy for once before nodding her head in the direction of the water table. “Come on, Poppins. Let’s rehydrate and get back into the game. I’m still trying to win this thing.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>Later on that week (Thursday, to be exact) Dani was seated on the sandy shore of the lake, watching the kids splash around in the water while a few canoes and kayaks rode by on the other side of the ropes. It was a nice little break, just getting to catch some sun and lay out with a magazine with the other counselors. In general, it was nice getting to hang out with the other counselors besides Rebecca. She had nothing against her, aside from the fact that Peter was glued to her hip everywhere they went.<p>Hannah was nice. She supervised Cabin D with Jamie. But being one of the oldest of the younger staff, she was very no-nonsense. She wasn’t dull or boring, though. She could hold a conversation better than some of the other girls, at least. And it was nice not getting roped into talking about how sexy they all thought River Phoenix was or how good Peter looked without his shirt on. </p>
<p>“I just wonder how Jamie didn’t fall off the roof after everything,” Hannah chuckled, sipping from a water bottle while Dani reapplied her sunscreen onto her arms and shoulders. The blonde couldn’t even remember how they’d gotten to this conversation. One minute they were discussing her plans for school and the next, Hannah was telling wacky stories from previous summers. The most recent one just so happened to be about Jamie chasing a stray cat around the camp in the middle of a thunderstorm, even climbing a ladder onto a cabin roof to try to get it. </p>
<p>With laughter bubbling in her chest, Dani just shook her head. She hadn’t known Jamie for long, but that just sounded <em>so</em> like her. She could picture Hannah’s whole story vividly in her head; fifteen year old Jamie, running around in the soggy grass, relentlessly chasing a cat around the camp until the both of them were soaking wet and covered in mud. </p>
<p>“Did she ever catch it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, yes,” Hannah nodded, adjusting her sunglasses on her nose, chuckling, “She actually tried to keep it for the rest of the summer; Hid it in her cabin and threatened anyone who dared to even think about ratting her out.”</p>
<p>“What happened to it?”</p>
<p>“Well, Viola found out eventually. Nothing slips past her. Turns out the cat belonged to a family that lives not too far from here, somewhere across the lake. And Viola drove Jamie over to make her give it back and apologize for holding the poor thing hostage.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure she wasn’t happy about that,” the blonde arched her knees up, wrapping her arms tightly around them as she glanced down at the sand between their two towels. Thankfully this wasn’t their time to watch the kids. The lifeguards were in charge when it came to swimming. Some of the counselors were free to roam the camp as long as they were in the mess hall on time for lunch. </p>
<p>“Not at all. But Jamie, she…” Hannah sighed, closing her book that she’d only been half paying attention to, “She’s tough. I guess that’s one way to put it. Considering her past, I can’t judge her for acting out every now and then. That’s why Viola sticks her with me every year for bunk assignments. Apparently I’m the only one who can keep her in check.”</p>
<p>Dani smiled at the woman’s gentle chuckle, wondering what exactly happened to the brunette that made her how she was today. But it wasn’t a question for Hannah. It wasn’t a question for anyone. Not even Jamie. It wasn’t her business unless Jamie decided to tell her herself.</p>
<p>“How is she, by the way? Jamie, I mean,” she asked before she could stop herself. The girl had been running through her mind relentlessly over the past two days since the capture the flag game. It was even getting to a point that if the thought of her smile passed through her thoughts, Dani would smile too just at the memory. If she thought of her low, raspy voice or the way her left eyebrow would raise suggestively with a smirk, her cheeks flamed up as if it were happening right in front of her. </p>
<p>Hannah just snorted a laugh and shrugged her shoulders, leaning back to bask in the sunlight. “She’s Jamie. That’s all there is to tell, really. Though, I must say, she’s been a bit more well-behaved this summer, if you don’t count the food fight.”</p>
<p>Leaning her chin down onto her knees, the younger girl just smiled fondly at the thought of her. Getting those same butterflies again. </p>
<p>“You all right, dear?” Hannah lifted her sunglasses, showing the true concern in her eyes as she saw the dazed look on Dani’s face. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m, uh...Just a little tired. Too much sun. I think I’m gonna go see if I can squeeze a nap in before lunch,” she sighed, glancing at her wristwatch as she got up. She brushed the sand off her shorts and adjusted the straps of her camp-provided bathing suit, which was a modest blue one-piece that most of the girls complained about.</p>
<p>“Good luck catching a nap around here,” Hannah chuckled, running her hand over the back of her neck as Dani picked up her towel, “Nice talking to you.”</p>
<p>“You too, see you later,” she flashed her a bright smile and started walking back towards the grass.</p>
<p>Her jelly sandals slipped under her sandy feet, making walking a little more difficult, but she managed to at least get to one of the concrete paths that lead to the cabins. Sighing, she shook out her towel, ridding it of sand before she draped it over her shoulder and went to keep walking.</p>
<p>“Was wondering when I’d have the pleasure of getting you alone again,” a familiar voice rang from somewhere to her side. Though, there was nothing but trees and shrubbery. If she weren’t so sure it was Jamie’s voice, she would have been more creeped out. </p>
<p>The blonde watched as she emerged from within the camouflage of the trees, a cigarette between her lips and a black sweatshirt tied around her waist. “Do you usually lurk in the woods and wait for people to walk by?” she asked, getting nervous as she felt the heat start to bleed into her cheeks already.</p>
<p>“Just you,” she shook her head with a shrug, unable to hold her straight face for much longer after seeing the stunned look on Dani’s. “Poppins, I’m kidding. I just got out here,” she chuckled, taking another drag from the cigarette between her fingers.</p>
<p>“O-oh,” she breathed an awkward laugh, toying with the towel that was draped over her shoulder. The loose threads served as a decent distraction, “Why were you in the woods?”</p>
<p>“Privacy?” she shrugged, “Didn’t want anyone coming up to me to remind me that smoking’s not allowed.” </p>
<p>Dani bit her lip, watching the ashes get flicked into the dirt near Jamie’s feet.</p>
<p>“Then again...last time that happened was when you showed up,” she continued with a smugness in her voice that sent a shiver down Dani’s spine, “So, who knows? Maybe I should smoke out in the open more often.”</p>
<p>“I wasn’t trying to be rude that day, I was just...I didn’t want you to get in trouble,” she took a deep breath, trying to explain her actions on that first day of camp, “I didn’t mean for it to come across as bossy or...I dunno, uppity, I guess.”</p>
<p>Smoke blew from Jamie’s lips into an airy cloud over her head as she looked at her, amusedly for her choice of words, “Uppity?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, like...like I knew better than you or that I had any kind of power over you.”</p>
<p>“You’ve got more power than you know, trust me,” Jamie mumbled almost inaudibly. She shook her head and gently kicked a rock towards her feet, watching it roll and bounce between them on the concrete path until it came to a stop in front of Dani’s hot pink jelly sandals. Since the blonde was looking down at the ground anyway, she figured she might as well give her something to focus on.</p>
<p>With a tight smile and a breath through her nose, Dani gave the rock a little kick, sending it back to Jamie until it turned into a game. The silence between them didn’t seem to have a mood attached to it. It was just silence. Not comfortable, but not unbearable either. The sound of the rock on the hard surface and the distant sound of kids and music at the lake were all they had. </p>
<p>“Can I have one?” the blonde asked suddenly as she kicked the rock back in Jamie’s direction, nodding towards the cigarette between her fingers. She watched the little stone roll past her converse and back into the dirt before she lifted curious eyes to her face, finding Jamie staring at her in confusion, “What?”</p>
<p>“<em>You</em> want a <em>cigarette?</em>” Jamie sounded each word out as if she couldn’t believe they were coming out of her own mouth. But Dani nodded and stepped closer, blowing her mind a little more. “Didn’t take you for the type.”</p>
<p>“I don’t do it a lot,” she explained with a shrug, “Or ever. Just...once, actually. When I was fourteen with my best friend. We stole one from my mom’s purse and tried it behind the shed in my backyard.”</p>
<p>“And?” an eyebrow raised to the brunette’s forehead as she flicked the ashes to the grass again.</p>
<p>Dani’s shoulders slumped a little, “Not the most enjoyable experience,” she admitted, “Not enjoyable at all, actually. But I’m...I’m older now, I might like it.” As much as she squared her shoulders back up with confidence, the more she thought that Jamie probably thought she looked like a complete idiot.</p>
<p>“Well,” Jamie took another puff, blowing the smoke out of the way before she chuckled and held up the half-smoked cigarette between her fingers, “Lucky for your nearly pure lungs, this is my last one. Last one I had on me, anyway.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>Jamie looked across the small distance between them, watching the way blue eyes averted back down to her shoes, how Dani’s hand ran anxiously up and down her bare arm. There was just something about this girl. Yeah, it was fun to see her squirm and make her blush and stammer over her words. But there was something else to it. And it was dangerous. </p>
<p>But Jamie didn’t mind a little danger.</p>
<p>“Here,” she held the little stick out after flicking the ashes off, offering it to Dani with a close-lipped smile.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Try it. If you really want to. I’m not the peer-pressure type, but I’m not gonna deny you an indulgence, either.”</p>
<p>Swallowing the lump in her throat, Dani looked at the cigarette with a rapidly thumping heart before taking it into her own fingers, trying to ignore the feeling she got in her stomach when her fingers brushed with the brunette’s. She could feel Jamie’s eyes on her, watching her every move as she raised it to her lips. </p>
<p>It didn’t take long for her to realize that it wasn’t a good idea. Jamie made it look so cool and so easy. But Dani felt like she was going to cough up a lung after the smallest inhale, handing the cancerous little stick back to the brunette who she didn’t even realize had been rubbing and patting her back until after the coughs started to dwindle. Though, the feeling of Jamie’s fingers on her bare shoulder blades wasn’t making it any easier for her to breathe. </p>
<p>“Glad I didn’t waste a whole one on you,” she chuckled at the way Dani kept trying and failing to wipe the disgusted grimace from her face, “Told you, though. Filthy little habit.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” the blonde nodded, finally getting herself back under control. Jamie’s hand was still on her back, her fingers on her skin as her thumb ran across the racerback bathing suit material. Wiping the tears that had formed in her eyes from coughing and the very <em>taste</em> of tobacco in her mouth, Dani just sighed, looking up at Jamie again, seeing the kind concern in her eyes. </p>
<p>“You okay?” she asked softly, running her hand up and down her back in a way that had Dani wanting to melt into the touch. </p>
<p>“Mmhm. I’m sorry, that was...I don’t even know why I wanted to—“ she trailed off, raising a hand to her face, “God, that’s so embarrassing.”</p>
<p>“It’s all good,” Jamie stomped the remainder of the cigarette out and kicked it towards the grass before pulling a pack of gum from her rolled up camp shorts, handing her a stick after she plucked two from the little box. </p>
<p>Taking the wrapped gum from her delicately, Dani sent a whispered “thank you” her way as they slipped into silence again; More comfortable this time than the last.</p>
<p>While Jamie glanced around, taking in the beautiful, cloudless day, Dani found herself taking in her features; The birthmarks and freckles that littered her face, how sharp her jawline looked when her head was tilted upwards or to the side, tensing under her pale skin as she chewed her gum.</p>
<p>For someone so rough around the edges, she couldn’t find a single physical flaw to match. From her fiercely green eyes, down the petite slope of her nose, to the cupid’s bow that topped her thin but full pink lips. Lips that would press together and quirk slightly to the side in a teasing smirk that would send electric waves through Dani’s whole body. Lips that wrapped so delicately around forbidden cigarettes before making a perfect ‘O’ shape to blow smoke into the air without even a flinch. Lips that...maybe just might feel as soft as they looked…</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait, no.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>No.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Shivering, Dani shrunk away from Jamie, feeling fingertips graze against her back before they were gone completely.</p>
<p>“You okay?” thin brows knit together in confusion as Jamie looked the blonde up and down.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah, I-I’m fine,” she shrunk away again when Jamie took a step closer, feeling her vision starting to tunnel at the edges of her eyes, “I, um...I...bye.” Turning on her heels, she made her way up the concrete path, not even looking back to see the confusion that she knew was on Jamie’s face. </p>
<p>What the hell came over her? She shouldn’t be thinking that way about her friend. She shouldn’t be thinking that way about <em>any</em> girls. It was wrong. She wasn’t like that. Maybe Jamie was like that, but she wasn’t. There was no way she could be. </p>
<p>Running a hand through her hair, she breathed in deeply as she walked towards her cabin. She focused on the cool air that hit the back of her throat from the intense minty gum in her mouth, trying her hardest to push away the intrusive thoughts that maybe Jamie’s mouth tasted like spearmint and tobacco right now too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you all for your comments!! they really make my whole day/week/month/year/life like seriously. i’m glad you’re all enjoying this!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>as per usual, i am unoriginal and have recycled a hefty lump of jamie’s lines from the show in this chapter but they’re too good not to wahhh. </p>
<p>as usual as well: tw for internalized homophobia from gay panic dani. but uhhh things happen, so enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Friday June 29, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Eight Weeks Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Are you sure you’re not sick? You’ve seemed off for like, a week,” Rebecca put down her magazine and looked over to her co-counselor who was pushing green beans around her plate like she had been for the past half hour of dinner.<p>“I’m fine, just...a little homesick,” she lied through a solemn smile. She didn’t miss <em>anything</em> about home. If she missed anything, it was the fact that she never felt the way she did now when she was back in Iowa. </p>
<p>She’d been avoiding Jamie all week. The only contact she had with her was through involuntary eye contact. Whether she was across the mess hall, across the field, or even on the other end of the jump rope they were swinging around for the kids to play with. Somehow their eyes always met. </p>
<p>But Jamie didn’t smirk, or wink, or do any of the things she normally would. If anything, she looked concerned as she kept her distance. Her green eyes spoke for her, practically screaming questions across the space between them, asking what happened and if she had done something wrong. And each time, it dug a knife deeper and deeper into Dani’s heart. </p>
<p>“As long as you’re sure. Have you gotten any mail from your mom? Or Eddie?” Rebecca sighed, lifting her magazine to read some more as she ate her dinner. </p>
<p>“No,” she lied again. There were letters from both sitting in her trunk back in the cabin. Unopened. She really didn’t want the reminders of home and how everyone couldn’t wait for her to come back.</p>
<p>“Maybe write to them, then. Or you can ask Viola to use the phone. She might take the long distance charges from your paycheck, though,” Rebecca glanced over at her.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we’ll see,” Dani sighed, sending a bit of a smile to Flora who waved at her from across the table. That was another thing. All these thoughts, these feelings of regret and worry, had been distracting her from her main focus here: the kids. They were supposed to be her priority.</p>
<p>A chair scraped across the floor somewhere in the room, pulling her out of her little trance as she looked up to see where the noise had come from. Jamie was getting up, carrying her tray to the trash. It wouldn’t be a moment alone, but maybe this was her chance to at least try to talk to her and apologize. Unnatural thoughts or not, she still enjoyed her company as a friend. It wasn’t fair to push Jamie away just because she couldn’t control her own thoughts. </p>
<p>Sliding out of her seat, Dani grabbed her barely-touched dinner and practically galloped to the trash, meeting Jamie there just in time. </p>
<p>“Not a fan of the green beans either?” Jamie offered a bit of a laugh through her nose, not looking any farther than Dani’s tray as she scraped her food into the bin. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” the blonde blurted immediately after, watching as green eyes flicked up to meet hers, full of confusion, “For last week, I don’t...I don’t know what came over me. And I...still don’t.” She was on fire with the lies today.</p>
<p>“S’all right,” Jamie muttered, politely taking her tray from her to scrape the food into the waste bin before setting it on the table with the other dirty ones. Her unzipped hoodie fell from her shoulder as she tucked her hands into the pockets in her shorts, not caring about her bare shoulder being exposed; Just like <em>anyone</em> wouldn’t. It was just a shoulder. And yet, Dani couldn’t tear her eyes from it or the black bra strap that peeked out from under her tank top.</p>
<p>“That all?” Jamie asked calmly, watching as blue eyes raised to meet hers again.</p>
<p>The blonde felt like her tongue was three sizes too big in her mouth as she choked on everything she even tried to say. She probably looked ridiculous, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. </p>
<p>Jamie just breathed a bit of a laugh, shaking her head in a way that made Dani want to sink into the floor, “Right, well...see you around, Poppins.”</p>
<p>“Wait,” Dani reached for her arm, tucking her fingers into the curve of her elbow over her sleeve as Jamie stopped walking after her first step, “A-are you...going to the campfire tonight?”</p>
<p>“Not really my thing,” Jamie shook her head, finally turning to face her, “Why?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I was just...just wondering, I guess. Thought I could try again with the s’mores,” Dani’s lips twitched into a tentative grin, “You said you’d teach me…”</p>
<p>Jamie’s eyes wandered from Dani’s <em>nervous</em> eyes to Dani’s <em>nervous</em> smile, all the way down to Dani’s <em>nervous</em> fingers that were loosening their firm grip on her arm, letting her go slowly. “I’ll see you around,” she repeated with a vague chuckle coming from low in her throat before walking away, leaving Dani alone, watching her go.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>This was ridiculous. One person, a <em>girl</em>, especially, should not have been making Dani feel this way. It was like she couldn’t keep her thoughts in order. Even when she tried to control it, or had distractions, her brain just kept wandering back to <em>her</em>, and the fact that she wasn’t here.<p>But she hid it as best she could. She didn’t want the kids seeing her so out of it. She bounced Flora in her lap as they all sang along to “Daydream Believer” as Arthur, Viola’s husband and co-director played it on his guitar, as well as a few other songs. But just like the past two weeks, the night started to come to a close as the younger kids got tired. Thankfully, some of the older staff were kind enough to take them back to their bunks and keep an eye on them before some of the counselors went back. </p>
<p>So after saying goodnight to Flora, Nellie, and the other girls, Dani sat on the log and watched across the fire as Rebecca curled into Peter’s side, taking advantage of the time they had without many kids around. It made Dani’s stomach turn just a little, knowing how Peter acted when his girlfriend wasn’t around. But she didn’t know Rebecca well enough to know how to tell her. It wasn’t really her place. Maybe she already knew and was fine with it.</p>
<p>Sighing, she glanced at the bag of marshmallows by her feet. She hadn’t had a s’more all night, hoping that Jamie would show up and teach her how to make one properly. But that didn’t look like it was going to happen, considering the night was ending. She was fine with the way she made hers anyway.</p>
<p>Picking up a stick, she grabbed two marshmallows from the bag, raising her arms to skewer them onto the stick—</p>
<p>“<em>Don’t</em> touch that,” that familiar voice from behind her made her heart jump into her throat, cutting off her air supply, “You’ll just desecrate it.”</p>
<p>Turning her head, she saw Jamie slowly walking up to the large circle of log benches, her camp shorts now replaced with sweatpants to protect her legs from the cool night air. </p>
<p>“Hi,” she managed to smile as she stood and turned to face her, watching as she made her way around the log bench, coming to stand beside her, “I-I thought this wasn’t your thing.”</p>
<p>“Well, I was sitting in my bunk all by my lonesome and I thought...it’s been a rough week,” her voice was basically a hum, soothing to the ears, “Maybe Poppins might fancy a properly made s’more to take the edge off.”</p>
<p>Biting down on her lip, Dani couldn’t help the smile that spread on her face, “You certainly have a lot of faith in your marshmallow toasting skills.”</p>
<p>Jamie just chuckled, taking the stick and the marshmallows from her hands. “As I should. Been doing it for ages. Taught by the best,” she stuck the two marshmallows onto the stick, making sure their edges touched, “Lesson number one, make sure your marshmallows are together. They’ll melt together and you have less chance of dropping one.”</p>
<p>Dani held her hands behind her back, standing back to watch with an attentive gaze and what felt like a permanent smile.</p>
<p>“Lesson number two, always hold’em <em>near</em> the fire. Never <em>in</em> the fire. Got that?” the brunette eyed her seriously, waiting until she nodded before doing just that, “They’ll toast faster if they’re over the flame, y’know how heat rises or whatever, but holding them a little off to the side gives you more time to make sure they don’t burn.”</p>
<p>Dani watched Jamie’s every move, though at times she found it hard to tear her eyes from her profile to watch the marshmallows. </p>
<p>“Rotate them around a bit, let’em cook all the way around for just a little bit and…” she pulled the stick back to inspect the puffs on the end of the stick, “They should be a nice golden brown. Not blackened to a crisp.”</p>
<p>“Nice,” the blonde let her eyes drift to those lips again, watching as they tightened and formed to blow cool air onto the marshmallows; suddenly feeling a little lightheaded.</p>
<p>“Now, most people will—“</p>
<p>“Jamie Taylor! Haven’t seen you set foot around a campfire in a while,” Rebecca called from across the large, open space, holding onto Peter’s hand from where his arm was wrapped around her shoulder, “What’s the occasion?”</p>
<p>“Thought I’d come out and give a proper s’mores lesson. Seems I’ve missed all the kids, though,” Jamie called back to the older girl, “That all right with you? I promise we won’t disrupt your make-out session.”</p>
<p>Dani blushed, looking between Jamie and Rebecca, who looked rather annoyed as she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her boyfriend. </p>
<p>“Don’t know how you bunk with that one,” the brunette mumbled under her breath.</p>
<p>“She’s not so bad.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, until you think she’s your friend and she fucks you over,” she seemed to speak less of a warning and more of a memory, intriguing Dani even more. But she didn’t ask, not wanting to assist in opening any potentially old wounds. </p>
<p>“But anyway, as I was <em>saying</em>,” Jamie huffed, shaking her head and returning to their lesson, “Most people will pick the marshmallows off the stick.” She sat down on the log, reaching for the graham crackers and chocolate bars as she kept the stick balanced and upright between her knees. “But those of us who are highly skilled in this sort of thing have a better technique.”</p>
<p>Dani watched as Jamie skillfully (as she had so humbly put it) constructed her little sandwich, holding the chocolate and two ends of the graham crackers over the marshmallows, squeezing gently to mold them all together before sliding them off the stick and admiring her work proudly. </p>
<p>“And there you have it,” she smirked, handing her masterpiece over to the blonde who took it gingerly with a quiet “thank you”. </p>
<p>She glanced between the s’more and a smirking Jamie before taking a small bite, not wanting to embarrass herself. Hopefully with the glow from the campfire, Jamie couldn’t already tell that she was blushing.</p>
<p>“Well?”</p>
<p>Nodding, Dani held her hand delicately over her mouth to hide her chewing, making sure she swallowed it fully before speaking. “Okay, that’s really good,” she couldn’t help the laugh that came all the way from her chest before she took another bite. All this time she’d been eating burnt marshmallows, she didn’t know how her taste buds even survived long enough to experience this. </p>
<p>“Hope you were paying attention, cause next time there’s gonna be a test.”</p>
<p>“Next time? Meaning you’re gonna come to another campfire?” she asked, taking another bite until half the s’more was gone. </p>
<p>“Unless you wanna prove your skills to me right now.”</p>
<p>“Well...if I don’t, then you’ll have to show up to another one to test me,” she smiled, shaking her head after swallowing another bite, holding the dessert carefully with both hands, “Right?”</p>
<p>Jamie just scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully as she gazed across the fire, her smile fading when she set eyes on Rebecca and Peter once more. Following her line of sight, the blonde couldn’t help but wonder what the story was that was playing through Jamie’s head that put such a bitter look on her face. </p>
<p>“Tell me honestly, Poppins,” sweatpant-covered knees turned and bumped her own as Jamie cocked her head in the direction of the two across the campfire, “You wishing that was you curled up there with him?”</p>
<p>Dani looked from Jamie, to Peter, and back to Jamie again, furrowing her eyebrows together as she shook her head no. What kind of question was that? </p>
<p>Green eyes, glowing in the campfire light, danced around her face before she nodded curtly, turning back to face the fire. “Good,” she sighed, rubbing her hands together in her lap, “Every girl in this place is mad for him. And he <em>knows</em> it, which makes it even worse. Glad to hear you’re not one of’em.”</p>
<p>Dani was quiet as she swallowed her next bite, unsure of what to say. Instead she just finished off her s’more and allowed the warmth from the fire to fill her rigid limbs. “Thank you again for the, uh...lesson,” she offered a bit of a smile in Jamie’s direction. </p>
<p>Her heartbeat picked up speed when she turned back to face her, Jamie’s eyes not meeting her own. Instead they almost immediately dropped to focus on her lips. She wondered what Jamie was thinking. Was she having the same thoughts that she had, herself, the other day after catching sight of Jamie’s lips? Wondering what they felt like? What they <em>tasted</em> like? Was Jamie going to do what she did and avoid her for days?</p>
<p>“You’ve got um…” Jamie finally flicked her eyes up to hers, gesturing to her own face to gently break the news to her that she had chocolate at the corners of her mouth. </p>
<p>Eyes wide with panic, Dani scrambled for her napkin, wiping at her lips as her cheeks flamed up with embarrassment. If the earth wanted to swallow her whole right then and there, she would let it with no hesitation. “Did I, um...did I get it?” she asked, mumbling through her embarrassment as she boldly met Jamie’s smirking gaze.</p>
<p>“Just missed one spot,” the brunette reached out. She cupped her jaw delicately while her thumb grazed against a spot close to her lips, running over it a few times to clear the chocolate that had been stubbornly lingering there. </p>
<p>Dani was frozen solid with a heart threatening to come crashing out of her chest with how hard it was beating. Worst of all, if Jamie couldn’t hear it, she could probably feel the way her body filled with sporadic, nervous tremors. Part of her wanted to run into the trees and get so deeply lost in the woods that she would never be seen or heard from again. </p>
<p>But the other part of her, the part that terrified her the most, wanted to stay. That part of her that she didn’t know existed until two weeks ago, it made her want to lean into Jamie’s touch. It made her want to pull the brunette forward by the unzipped edges of her hoodie so she could finally learn what Jamie’s lips felt like against her own. </p>
<p>“There,” Jamie pulled back slowly with her voice just barely above a whisper. She was close enough that Dani could smell the faint scent of cigarettes and spearmint on her breath. And oddly enough, it was heavenly. </p>
<p>She couldn’t take it anymore, the sight, the <em>feeling</em> of green eyes on her skin. And maybe it was juvenile to think, but she closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that if she couldn’t see Jamie, Jamie couldn’t see her. But when she opened her eyes, they hadn’t moved. Still green. Still staring. </p>
<p>“Right, well, uh…” Jamie stammered, surprising the blonde, considering she was always so cool and collected. And <em>always</em> knew what to say, “We should head back. Stay too late out here and you’ll get stuck on cleanup duty. No one wants that.” She attempted a chuckle as she stuffed her hands nervously into her pockets after she stood up, wanting for Dani to do the same, “I can walk you back to your cabin if you like? Buddy system, and all. Doesn’t look like Rebecca’s wanting to go anywhere anytime soon.”</p>
<p>Dani looked over her shoulder at her bunkmate who had her arms wrapped around Peter’s neck, kissing him in a way that made her grateful that there were no kids around to see. “Y-yeah,” she nodded, taking her bottom lip harshly between her teeth, “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Jamie just nodded, still stiffly standing with her hands deep in her pockets and her shoulders squared, practically hunched to her ears. “Course,” she nodded, keeping an uncomfortably tight-lipped smile on her face, walking backwards until the younger girl caught up with her.</p>
<p>The walk was quiet, save for a few dead leaves, leftover from the winter, crunched beneath their feet as they walked along the edge of the field. They walked slowly, both unwilling to admit out loud that they wanted to savor the time they had alone before they reached the cabins. The air felt thick between them. Maybe it was just the summer humidity. But whatever it was, Dani was getting lightheaded every time Jamie’s arm brushed with hers through their matching B.L.Y. hoodies.</p>
<p>“I’m so glad you...came,” the blonde broke the silence between them, awkwardly looking over at Jamie as they walked. An immediate (but genuine) smile crossed her face when Jamie raised her head, turning to face her with a small grin of her own. </p>
<p>“I am too.”</p>
<p>Butterfly wings flapped furiously in the younger girl’s stomach to a point that it was almost painful. She’d never felt this way before. The tension in her gut reminded her of the tension you could create by pushing the same side of two magnets together. The forceful tension, the anticipation of <em>“maybe they’ll stick together this time, even though it would defy all laws of science”</em>, she felt it inside. It pulled and pushed, kneading at her like she was a mound of uncooked dough. </p>
<p>“Jamie…?” her voice was shaky as she spoke her name, unsure of where it came from. She had stopped walking at some point. She didn’t know when, she didn’t know why, but she knew that she didn’t care. Somehow, in this moment, all she cared about was the girl in front of her; The main focal point at the end of her tunneled vision. </p>
<p>With stiff limbs, she reached for one of her hands that, by some miracle, weren’t stuffed in her pockets anymore. But Jamie’s hand remained in a tight fist at first, like she was too nervous to unclench. And for once, it seemed like Jamie Taylor was more nervous than she was. And that was saying something, considering Dani felt like she might combust with nerves any second. </p>
<p>But eventually, after stroking her thumb across rigid knuckles, Jamie’s hand relaxed and opened, allowing Dani to grasp her fingers in her own. And like she was being guided by an unknown force, Dani changed the course, taking a deep breath as she tugged her co-counselor into the wooded area that lined their path. </p>
<p>Jamie didn’t ask questions or make any comments. She just blindly followed Dani wherever she decided to go. Which was good, because Dani wasn’t quite sure where she was headed either. But a few crunched leaves later, the brunette found herself with her back to the trunk of a pine tree, staring intensely at the girl who had pressed her there. </p>
<p>She couldn’t help but let her eyes glance around Dani’s features. How she looked so sad and conflicted, yet so determined at the same time. Her cheeks and nose were bright pink with a heavy blush that she’d come to know so well by now. There was a wrinkle of worry between her eyebrows that she wanted, so badly, to smooth away. And as she cast her eyes down to the pink pillowy soft lips that looked so tense, they came closer at a speed that neither of them could even register before they crashed against her own. </p>
<p>Dani let out a whimper into the kiss, almost frightened by her own urgency. She’d kissed Eddie before. He was her first kiss at age ten. When she was twelve, she kissed Shane Parkinson at his birthday party during a game of spin the bottle. If her first attempt at spinning the bottle were acceptable under the party rules, it would have been Lillian Coleman. But no kiss, no matter how many she’d had, could even hold a candle to this one. </p>
<p>Jamie was gentle, timid even, letting Dani take the reins. If what Rebecca had said was true, Jamie had experience with other girls. Or at least <em>one</em> other girl. And that was more than Dani could say for herself. This was new to her. It was scary. But even with her ex-boyfriend, she never felt the urge, the <em>want</em>, to kiss him like she did with this girl she’d known for three weeks.</p>
<p>Stars of dizziness started to twinkle behind Dani’s eyes as she started to feel a tightening in her chest, a need for air. She pulled back slowly, her lips still a bit slack and her eyes still closed. She was almost afraid to open them. She could only imagine what Jamie was thinking. And the last thing she wanted was to open her eyes and find the brunette looking at her like she was a freak before running off.</p>
<p>But she mustered up enough courage to open them slowly, blinking in the moonlight that crept through the leaves. And to her pleasant surprise, that damn <em>smirk</em> that she was starting to adore was staring right back at her, accompanied by blown out pupils in Jamie’s green eyes. </p>
<p>Gentle hands squeezed her sides through her hoodie as her fingers remained clenched into fists, keeping a tight hold on Jamie’s. It was too quiet again. They could probably hear the wind whistling if they listened close enough. And Dani couldn’t take it. She was at a loss for words, unable to think up a single coherent one in her rattling brain. It was up to Jamie. She needed her to say something. <em>Anything</em>.</p>
<p>“Who the hell knew?” came in a relieved, mint-scented breath against her lips. And Dani hardly left any room for thought before letting out the breath she’d been holding, pressing closer as she brushed Jamie’s nose with her own, capturing her lips in a smiling kiss. </p>
<p>A hand was removed from her hip and came up to the side of her neck, sending a shiver down Dani’s spine when the gentlest caress from Jamie’s thumb spread across a small patch of her skin. As the hand crept up to cup her jaw, Dani deepened the kiss, running solely on instinct as she swiped her tongue across the older girl’s lower lip. </p>
<p>She felt like fireworks were going off throughout her entire body when a warm tongue met with her own. <em>This</em> was kissing. This was what it was supposed to feel like. And she tried so hard not to let herself get sucked back into that dark place in her mind. The place where she beat herself up relentlessly for not being <em>normal</em>, thinking she was broken for not being attracted to the boys back home or the teen heartthrobs in her magazines. </p>
<p>But she couldn’t be broken. Not when she felt as alive as she did now. </p>
<p>Pulling back again, she let her forehead rest against Jamie’s, swallowing thickly between gasps for air as warm chocolate and mint breath mixed between them. She still didn’t know what to say or do. But she wouldn’t hate it if she spent the whole night in this little wooded area, under a pine tree with her. </p>
<p>“Think it’s probably best if I drop you at your cabin now,” Jamie’s raspy whisper filled her ears, starting to bring her back to reality.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah,” she pulled herself away, using everything in her to let go of the back hoodie in her fists before she stepped back and allowed her to push herself off the tree. </p>
<p>As they crept out of the woods and back onto the path, the silence between them wasn’t as tense this time. Dani, still dancing on cloud nine in her head, wasn’t sure what to say. But this time, she didn’t feel like anything needed to be said. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like she needed to force anything. </p>
<p>All too soon, they approached the line of the girls’ blue cabins, coming to a stop in front of cabin B.</p>
<p>“Um…” Dani started, tucking hair behind her ear as they stopped, turning to the brunette beside her, “Thank you for, uh…” she trailed off, unsure of what to say. </p>
<p>Jamie just chuckled and reached for her hands, playing idly with her fingers as she sighed. “Goodnight,” she crooned just over a whisper, “Just goodnight.”</p>
<p>Nodding her head a little too eagerly, Dani turned on her heel, making her way up the wooden steps to the cabin door. And with one final turn of her head, she sent a little wave down to Jamie, who stood watching to make sure she got into her cabin before heading off to her own.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>if anyone wants to read my unhinged thoughts, my twitter handle is @chonisdamie :D</p>
<p>stay hydrated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>happy monday! </p>
<p>this chapter has a tw for mention of suicide by drowning and infant death (both fictional for the sake of a ghost story). and of course gay panic dani and her silly little internalized homophobia.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dani hadn’t gotten much sleep that night. Hardly an hour, if she were to guess how much she actually managed to get. No matter how many sheep she counted in her head, her body wouldn’t relax. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing. And her mind wouldn’t stop swirling with thoughts she’d never had before. </p>
<p>She’d kissed Jamie. </p>
<p><em>Jamie</em>. </p>
<p>The mysterious camp troublemaker, a perfect stranger until three weeks ago...a <em>girl</em>. </p>
<p>This wasn’t supposed to happen while she was here. She was here at B.L.Y. to work with kids, not to drag other counselors (female ones, no less) into the woods, pin them against a tree and kiss them like the earth would stop moving if she didn’t. It was scandalous, it was <em>wrong</em>.</p>
<p>But as much as she screamed at herself inside, trying to convince herself just how wrong it was, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. If it was wrong, then why did she feel like she was floating? Why did she feel for Jamie what she thought she would feel with Eddie? Four years of dating after eight years of friendship and she never once felt the way she did now. She felt light and airy, like the smallest breeze would knock her off her feet and send her flying through the air along with it. And as hard as she tried, she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. </p>
<p>According to her watch, it was midnight when Rebecca finally came back into the cabin. But the blonde remained still, knowing that she’d get roped into a whispered conversation in their cabin’s bathroom if the other girl knew she was awake. She’d ask about Jamie for sure, probably send her a few more unexplained warnings on why she should stay away from her, and then ramble on about Peter like she always did. </p>
<p>But it didn’t take long for her co-counselor to fall asleep, her breathing evening out quietly in the bed beside hers. And with a sigh of relief, Dani rolled over to face the window, watching raindrops start to hit the glass as she wondered if, two buildings over in cabin D, Jamie was thinking about her too.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>The rain didn’t let up. If anything, it got worse. With it being a Saturday, it was free play day. Campers were free to roam the camp, stay in their bunks, join in on organized games and activities if they wanted, but with rain like this, everyone was huddled into the gymnasium for just about the whole day. Attached to the mess hall and the communal bathrooms, everything they needed was right there in the building.<p>Once everyone was gathered into the gym, Viola went over the rainy day plan with all the kids and staff. It was simple. Remain indoors, continue to use the buddy system even if you just need to go to the bathroom, and try to have fun. There were rubber balls brought out for a game of dodgeball on one side of the gym while hula hoops, jump ropes, and a large rainbow parachute were played with on the other side. </p>
<p>Dani stuck to her little corner of the gym, doing the hokey pokey and playing Simon says with some of the younger kids. She knew they weren’t too happy about having to be cooped up inside with each other all day, but they were all trying to keep them as happy as possible. </p>
<p>“Simon says hands in the air,” she called out, watching with a chuckle as the kids all raised their arms, reaching to the ceiling, “Simon says cover your eyes!” They all did as they were told before she called the next one out quickly, “Hands on your hips!”</p>
<p>Laughing affectionately, she watched a few kids move their hands from their eyes to their sides while a few others flinched, rethinking the move before they could make it completely. “Luke, I didn’t say ‘Simon says’, buddy!” she giggled, tagging the little boy and a few others on the shoulder, sending him off to where a few of the other kids were sitting out of the game.</p>
<p>Moving to stand back in front of the ones remaining, Dani held her hands behind her back as she thought of a command, “Simon says hop on one—“ a rubber ball from the other side of the gym rolled up to her feet, bouncing off her leg until it settled on the waxed floor. Not unusual, considering the amount of kids playing dodgeball over there. </p>
<p>She bent down to pick it up, ready to toss it back over to the other side of the gymnasium. But a pair of squeaking shoes jogged up to her before she could, revealing a warm smile on a familiar face when Dani stood back up.</p>
<p>“Sorry, ‘bout that,” Jamie mumbled. Her voice was shy but her eyes weren’t, never leaving the blue ones that stared back.</p>
<p>With a puff of breath, Dani just grinned with a bit of a shaky, “it’s okay,” through her brief, nervous chuckle, handing the ball back. Hands covered her own when the brunette reached for the ball, letting her fingers slide against Dani’s as she pulled the ball back.</p>
<p>Without a word, Jamie took a few steps back, glancing the blonde up and down with a grin that Dani couldn’t place. It wasn’t a normal smile, but it wasn’t her usual mischievous smirk either. It was something gentler than that. Shy, almost; Which she never expected from someone like Jamie. </p>
<p>“Dani, what’s the next one?” Nellie asked from where she stood in the group, peeking through her fingers that remained over her eyes from the last ‘Simon says’ command.</p>
<p>“Right, um…” the blue eyed counselor shook her head, turning back to her patiently waiting kids as she tried to shake the other girl from her thoughts, “Simon says hop on one foot!”</p>
<p>She smiled at the group, watching them all copy her movements, some less graceful than others. And with the minute she had to spare to think up the next command, she glanced out the corner of her eyes, watching Jamie throw her head back with laughter as she chucked a rubber ball at one of the older kids across her side of the gym.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>Considering they were all cooped inside together for hours, the rainy day had gone smoothly. At least until dinner, it did. It seemed like the second that everyone was seated with their pizza and salads, a boom of thunder and a flash of lightning struck terror through the room before it went pitch black. Screams rang out through the mess hall as counselors tried to keep the kids calm and in their seats.<p>The emergency lights flicked on over the doors, though it didn’t provide much light or much reassurance to the crying kids who could barely be heard over the rain pounding on the roof. </p>
<p>“Dani, I’m afraid,” Flora whimpered from her seat next to her, seeking comfort from her counselor as her bottom lip wobbled, “I don’t like the dark. It’s perfectly dreadful.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Flora, it’s just a storm,” Dani rubbed her back, encouraging her and the other girls to eat their dinner. The room lit up just a little as some counselors opened the blinds, letting in what was left of the sunset.</p>
<p>“Campers, eyes and ears up!” Viola’s voice boomed over the sound of the rain and thunder from the edge of the room, quieting everyone down aside from a few scattered sniffles of fear, “There’s no need to worry, it’s just a summer storm. Obviously tonight’s campfire is cancelled, so I want everyone to head back to the gym after dinner. Hopefully the rain will lighten up so you can get back to your cabins soon. But until then, can I have a counselor from each table help me pass out flashlights and lanterns?”</p>
<p>Glancing over at Rebecca, Dani saw that she had her hands full with Nellie, who was crying in her lap. “Want me to go?” she offered kindly, getting up from her seat when the dark-haired girl nodded before turning to Flora and the other girls, “I’ll be right back, okay? Stay in your seats.”</p>
<p>Pushing her chair in, she walked through the dimly lit room with a few of the other counselors to gather by the door to the hallway with Viola. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up when she felt someone right beside her. And as far as she knew, there was only one person who could make goosebumps rise on her skin like that.</p>
<p>With her head ducked down, she cast her eyes to the well-worn converse sneakers next to her own feet, trailing up until she was met with the green eyes that had been on her mind for nearly a whole 24 hours. Though, they were no less bright even in the dim lighting. </p>
<p>Upon Viola’s request, the teen and young adult staff followed behind her down the hallway, headed towards the room that, during orientation, Dani had learned was full of emergency supplies. </p>
<p>“Hey, new girl,” Jamie nudged her shoulder blade from behind her as they walked in a group, “Heard about the lady of the lake yet?”</p>
<p>The rest of the staff in the group groaned at Jamie’s question, letting out a chorus of “not this again” and “seriously, Jamie?”.</p>
<p>“What or who is the lady of the lake?” Dani asked curiously anyway, turning back to glance in her direction as they stopped to form a line in front of the supply room.</p>
<p>“It’s a silly urban legend that Jamie’s older brother started when he worked here,” Owen rolled his eyes with a chuckle, “Nonsense, really.”</p>
<p>“Nonsense, eh?” Jamie challenged him with a little shove and a chuckle, “Then how do you explain how Bobby Reid disappeared that one night back in ‘79, huh?”</p>
<p>Owen just laughed turning to face the brunette, apparently the only one who seemed to want to interact in the situation. “He got a fever in the middle of the night and his parents came to pick him up, Jamie.”</p>
<p>“And the fact that he was never seen again?”</p>
<p>“They moved to New Hampshire!” Owen threw his head back with a hearty chuckle, making Dani laugh as she glanced between the two of them, “You <em>know</em> all this, why do you insist on scaring people with that story?”</p>
<p>“Gotta keep tradition alive, mate,” she shrugged before turning to Dani with a hint of a grin before shoving Owen’s shoulder again. The two seemed to act like old friends. Owen was around Hannah’s age. Maybe twenty-two at the oldest. And like Hannah, he seemed to be one of the only people who didn’t have any real problem with Jamie. </p>
<p>“Well, don’t tell the kids. God knows they’re scared enough right now.”</p>
<p>Rolling her eyes, Jamie muttered out a quiet, “yeah, yeah”, turning back to Dani. “Well,” she started, “You know the name of our darling little pond behind the girls’ cabins?”</p>
<p>“Fun Time Lake?” a brow quirked up in question.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s actually called Phantom Lake. But Vi and Arthur push calling it “Fun Time” so it doesn’t scare the kids. Years and years ago, centuries back, at the big house on the other side of the lake, there was a woman named Perdita Willoughby. Her family owned the whole area, lake and all.”</p>
<p>Dani crossed her arms over her chest, watching with an amused look as Jamie continued the story while they waited in line to get their lanterns. </p>
<p>“Well, Perdita, she was married to this guy. But he was around so little that no one cared to remember his name; Always away on business. But Perdita was pregnant. And her husband was still away when she went into labor. It was a stormy summer. Downpoured for hours kinda like today. Too much rain for anyone to be able to see even a foot in front of them, making it nearly impossible for a doctor to get to the house safely.”</p>
<p>With her hands in on her hips, Jamie rocked back and forth from her toes to her heels, smirking to herself as she told the legend. And if Dani weren’t so curious and enamored, she would have given up, turned her back and stopped listening with a roll of her eyes. </p>
<p>“She gave birth to a baby girl. Stillborn, tragically,” Jamie shrugged as Dani frowned, dropping her amused grin to show a little respect despite the story being fictional, “And Perdita...well, long story short she went mad. Completely insane. It didn’t stop raining for days and she’d been cooped up inside. Drove her crazy, the grief, the cabin fever…”</p>
<p>“So one night, she went out. She braved the storm. And she drowned herself in the lake. Wasn’t found until the next morning when the rain had finally let up,” Jamie sighed, glancing up at the blonde with intense eyes to match her storytelling, “And now, on rainy summer nights like this, legend has it that she comes up from the lake, stalks towards the cabins and steals little campers out of their bunks in the middle of the night; Taking them back to the lake with her to replace the child she lost.”</p>
<p>Owen just chuckled beside Dani, who didn’t believe the story, but certainly found herself enthralled with Jamie’s storytelling abilities anyway. Or maybe the chill down her spine was just from the look that the brunette was sending her. </p>
<p>“Wow.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she chuckled with a shrug, “So, better keep an eye on your girls tonight, Poppins. Wouldn’t want little Flora to get snatched up in the middle of the night.”</p>
<p>“Is <em>anything</em> from that story true?” the blonde glanced between her and Owen, figuring he would be a more reliable source than Jamie. </p>
<p>“Well, it really is called Phantom Lake,” he nodded, “And Viola and Arthur do call it ‘Fun Time Lake’ so the kids don’t get scared. But other than that, the story is all from the twisted mind of a fifteen year old boy.”</p>
<p>“Your brother was fifteen when he came up with all that?” Dani looked to Jamie, who just nodded her head, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, “Wow, I hope he’s a famous writer or something now. If I believed any of it, it would’ve actually been pretty scary.”</p>
<p>“Only thing Denny’s writing is letters from prison,” one of the teenage counselors further up in line snickered quietly, but loud enough to be heard.</p>
<p>Dani watched as Jamie’s face slowly fell, overhearing what they had said. Her cheeky grin turned to a frown, and her bright eyes darkened as her cheeks turned bright pink.</p>
<p>“Knock it off,” Owen said sternly from behind them, stopping the malicious hum of laughter that had taken over the little group.</p>
<p>Dani kept curious eyes on Jamie, watching as the pink in her cheeks spread, becoming more obvious on her face. She looked angry and embarrassed as her eyes began to glimmer in the light from the lanterns that the others were walking back to the mess hall with. </p>
<p>“Jamie…”</p>
<p>She tried to step forward and offer the brunette some comfort. Obviously what was murmured ahead of them in line had struck a nerve in her. But the second Dani took a step forward, Jamie was stepping back, shaking her head before turning and walking back in the other direction. </p>
<p>“Jamie!” she called after her, but the older girl had rounded the corner too quickly, and the sound of the gymnasium door slamming shut told Dani that she probably wanted to be alone. “What was that about?” she glanced up at Owen with worry filling her blue eyes.</p>
<p>With a sigh, Owen folded his arms across his chest and looked down at his feet as they moved up in the line, getting closer to the supply room. “Her older brother’s in prison,” he sighed, whispering to avoid anyone else talking about it any further, “Serving a couple years for assault, robbery, possession...a whole slew of things.”</p>
<p>Dani’s jaw dropped a bit, unsure of what to say. What do you say to a person who just told you that your friend’s brother is in prison?</p>
<p>“I’m surprised you didn’t know, honestly. Unfortunately the vultures around here like to use it as ammo against her every now and then. They know it gets under her skin.”</p>
<p>“That’s awful,” she shook her head, keeping her voice quiet, “Viola can’t do anything?”</p>
<p>“I mean, if she fired everyone who gave Jamie hell, she’d have just about no staff left to run the camp,” he shook his head, “If she could actually have eyes and ears everywhere at all times, she’d be much more on top of it.”</p>
<p>Biting her lip, Dani wrapped her arms around herself. Her heart felt heavy for Jamie. She was such a nice person. Surprisingly gentle and kind, despite how she appeared on the surface. And there were so many pieces to her puzzle that Dani wanted to piece together so she could learn about her.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, she’ll bounce back. Sometimes she just needs a minute,” Owen pat Dani’s shoulder gently as they approached the supply room, “Good that you seem to care so much, though. She doesn’t make friends too easily, so you must have had quite the impact on her whenever you met.”</p>
<p>Smiling with a nod, Dani watched him step through the door of the supply room, waiting against the wall for her turn to go in and get lanterns for her table. She eyed the gymnasium door, hoping that Jamie would come out. But Owen came out of the supply room not long after, signaling to Dani that she was good to go in before he headed back to the mess hall. </p>
<p>“Hi, Dani,” Viola greeted her with a warm smile when she entered the small room, “Jamie’s story didn’t scare you, did it?”</p>
<p>“N-no, not at all,” she shook her head with a nervous chuckle as Viola handed her a lantern, two flashlights, and a pack of large batteries. </p>
<p>“She’s right though, it <em>has</em> become a tradition for her to tell that story to new counselors. So, I guess you’re officially part of the team, now,” the woman placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side.</p>
<p>“Right,” the blonde smiled, looking back at the door, “Um..Jamie went to the gym...can I get what she was supposed to pick up to bring to her table?”</p>
<p>Viola’s eyes closed as she took in a deep breath. At first Dani wondered if she’d said something to make her mad, but the kind eyes she was met with when they opened told her otherwise. “Of course. That’s very nice of you. I’ll get Jamie out of the gym once everyone has their supplies and I radio in to the power company,” she sighed, running a hand through her wavy long black hair as she listed off what needed to be done, “Whatever it was this time, I’m sure she could use a few minutes to cool off, anyway.”</p>
<p>“I-I can go get her, if that’s okay. I wanted to make sure she’s all right a-anyway,” her smile twitched nervously on her face as Viola gathered a second set of supplies for her to carry back. </p>
<p>“That would be great. I’m glad to see Jamie’s made such a nice friend.”</p>
<p>It made Dani feel a little bit better, hearing from two people who seemed to know Jamie well that she was a good friend to her. All Dani ever wanted to help people, and the troubled brunette was no exception. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” she nodded at the older woman, hoping that it was clear that she was thanking her for the supplies <em>and</em> the compliment. </p>
<p>“Thank <em>you</em>, Dani,” Viola grinned back at her before she left the small room, letting the next person in before she headed back to the mess hall, struggling with the amount of things she was holding in her hands.</p>
<p>Approaching her own table where the kids had calmed down for the most part, she dropped off the lantern and one of the flashlights, keeping the other one for herself as she grabbed her plate of pizza with her free hand. </p>
<p>“Where are you going?” Rebecca knit her eyebrows together curiously.</p>
<p>“Just going to help someone,” she smiled. Not a lie. She just didn’t have time to listen to Rebecca’s offhanded warnings about Jamie.</p>
<p>Approaching Jamie and Hannah’s table, she smiled at the preteen girls who sat around reading magazines while they ate, unaffected by the intense storm. </p>
<p>“Take Jamie’s pizza to her, will you?” Hannah asked politely as Dani handed her the extra lantern, flashlights, and battery pack she retrieved from Viola.</p>
<p>“How did you—“</p>
<p>“Owen told me what happened when he got back,” the older woman offered her a sympathetic smile, thanking her for the supplies, “Food always helps her calm down and she hasn’t eaten since lunch.”</p>
<p>Dani took the untouched plate of pizza from her gently, thanking her with a kind smile of her own before heading out of the cafeteria and down the hall to the gym. It was quiet as far as she could hear through the doors. That was either a good sign or a terrible one. Either way, she wasn’t going to leave Jamie alone. </p>
<p>With a deep breath, she stacked the pizza plates together and tucked the flashlight under her arm so she had a free hand to pull the metal door open. It wasn’t completely dark, thanks to the emergency lights, but they could only light so much in such a large space.</p>
<p>“I’m not in the fucking mood, Vi!” Jamie’s angry voice echoed from somewhere across the gym once the door was shut behind her. It struck a little bit of fear in the blonde. Not that she was afraid of Jamie. She just hated conflict more than anything. </p>
<p>“It’s me...Dani,” she offered gently, calling out into the echoey room. With the help of the flashlight she could make out the distant image of Jamie in the far corner against the folded up bleachers. But Jamie didn’t acknowledge her presence again. She was silent except for a few sniffles that Dani would have missed if it weren’t for the echoes. </p>
<p>“I-I brought you your pizza. And I took your supplies to your table for you…” She approached a bit slowly, nervous. She didn’t want to step on Jamie’s toes by invading into her space especially when she was upset. </p>
<p>Jamie was still quiet as she approached, crouched into the corner. The light from the flashlight reflecting off the waxy floor shined on the brunette just in time for Dani to see her swipe stubborn tears from her cheeks. </p>
<p>“Viola tell you to do all that?” the brunette asked bitterly as Dani got closer, coming to a stop not too far from where she sat. </p>
<p>“No...no, I offered,” the younger counselor shook her head with her bottom lip clenched between her teeth and held one of the plates out to her, “I was worried about you.”</p>
<p>She expected a smart remark in return. Hell, she even expected to be told to get lost and leave her alone. But Jamie just looked up at her from her spot on the floor, face blotchy and eyes glassy, and she took the plate from her with a quiet “thanks”. Surprising, but not unwelcome.</p>
<p>She stood awkwardly in place, shifting from foot to foot as she thought about her next move. Was it rude to invite herself into her space and sit beside her? Would it be worse to turn and leave?</p>
<p>“You can sit if you want to, Poppins, you’re safe. It’s not you I’m pissed at,” the brunette snorted a bit of a laugh, apparently able to read minds now. </p>
<p>But Dani just breathed an apprehensive laugh and crossed her legs, bending down until she was sitting a few inches away from the tense counselor. Every thought that plagued Dani last night was out the window. Every deviant little thought about kissing Jamie was in the back of her mind. Because right now, Jamie needed a friend. Nothing more. Not that they could even be anything more anyways.</p>
<p>“I, um…” she started, holding her pizza in her lap as she flicked her tongue over her dry lips, “I heard about what happened with your brother. I’m really sorry.”</p>
<p>The other girl just shook her head with stiff shoulders, letting out a breath to attempt to relax them, “Not your fault. Taylor family curse, is all,” she chuckled.</p>
<p>“Y-Y’know, you can...talk to me. If you ever need to. O-or want to,” Dani scooted herself a bit closer as if it would make Jamie believe her, “I’m not really a judgemental person. I mean, I’ve got a lot of family issues of my own, so who am I to judge anyone else?”</p>
<p>Jamie eyed her curiously after taking a bite from the pointed tip of her pizza slice, and Dani just wished she could read her mind. If she could even read her expression, that would be helpful. Because it didn’t seem like she was planning on saying anything in return. </p>
<p>“But i-if you don’t wanna talk to me, that’s fine too. Just...let me know how I can help,” she breathed deeply, offering her the kindest smile she could muster as she boldly reached for her knee. </p>
<p>Jamie’s eyes flicked down to the hand on her knee, watching as Dani’s thumb (topped with shimmery purple nail polish) grazed back and forth against the synthetic material of her track pants. “You’re somethin’ else, Poppins,” she chuckled quietly, making the blonde a little nervous, “Never met anyone like you before. Not even Hannah. Matter of fact, she was the nicest person in this place until you came along.”</p>
<p>Blue eyes watched her take another bite of her pizza as a heavy blush covered Dani’s face at the compliment. “I just...I know how it feels to have people talk about you behind your back. And when I saw how you reacted to what those guys were saying, I…” she trailed off, trying to describe how she felt in that moment less than fifteen minutes ago, “I got sad, I guess. For you. You’ve been so nice to me. Too nice, at times,” she gave a little nervous laugh at the last part, “I just wanted to do something nice for you, too.”</p>
<p>“You forgetting you brought me a s’more and tried to help me clean up after the food fight?” Jamie smirked as she chewed her next bite, “That seemed pretty nice to me.”</p>
<p>“<em>One</em> nice thing in comparison to all the things you’ve done for me,” she tucked strands of blonde hair. behind her ear as she glanced down at her own pizza, finally taking a bite. She wasn’t a fan of cold pizza, but it was food, and she was hungry.</p>
<p>Jamie just chuckled and shrugged, wiping the grease on her hands onto the lower leg of her track pants. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as being too nice. Certainly didn’t think I was capable of it, either.”</p>
<p>“I guess ‘nice’ wasn’t the right word.”</p>
<p>“What word did you mean, then?”</p>
<p>“Friendly?”</p>
<p>“Such a thing as being too friendly?”</p>
<p>“Well, I-I mean...you sometimes come off as...I dunno, flirty, I guess,” the blood rushed to her face from embarrassment as she averted her eyes. She kissed this girl last night. Dani kissed <em>Jamie</em>, not the other way around. And here she was talking about the brunette being forward.</p>
<p>“Guess it just kinda comes out that way sometimes,” Jamie muttered, the joking tone slowly fading from her voice, “Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”</p>
<p>“N-no, you—“</p>
<p>“That why you kissed me last night?” </p>
<p>Dani’s eyes widened as she shhed her on instinct, looking around as if someone could hear. </p>
<p>“Dani, no one’s around. Just you and me, here,” Jamie shook her head before turning her chin up curiously, “But is that why?”</p>
<p>“I-I don’t...I don’t know what you mean,” her palms were clammy as her voice trembled with nerves. This wasn’t where the conversation was supposed to go. </p>
<p>“I mean…” Jamie took a deep breath, “Have I been making you feel like that’s what I wanted from you?”</p>
<p>She bit down hard on her lip. She didn’t want to hurt her feelings by telling her yes. “Isn’t it?” she asked instead, bringing her worried eyes up to meet hers.</p>
<p>“Well, yeah. But I want <em>you</em> to want it. I don’t want you doing anything just because you think I want it, or that I won’t still wanna be your friend if you don’t.”</p>
<p>Dani stared ahead at her, searching her green eyes as best she could in the dim light that she was slowly adjusting to. Jamie just seemed so sincere and genuine. It was actually strange finding out that the girl who started the food fight on the first day of camp was really so mature and wise beyond her years. </p>
<p>“I...I want it,” she admitted quietly, glancing over her shoulder again, paranoid that someone was listening, “I-I didn’t <em>want</em> to want it, but...I’ve just been really confused, I guess. I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel like this about…”</p>
<p>“Girls?” Jamie finished for her, cocking her head curiously with knowing eyes as Dani nodded. </p>
<p>“And I’ve never...felt this way about <em>anyone</em>. Not even my ex-boyfriend,” she ran a hand through her hair anxiously, setting her pizza aside. Suddenly she wasn’t so hungry anymore. Anxiety pooled in her stomach instead, churning around, making her feel sick. But she had to admit that it felt good to admit it out loud; Like a bit of weight was lifted off her shoulders. </p>
<p>Jamie was quiet as she mulled over the information, glancing her up and down before moving a bit closer, hoping she wouldn’t pull away. But Dani didn’t. She stayed in her cross-legged position on the floor as Jamie placed herself in front of her, knees touching as they sat in the same position. </p>
<p>“And I don’t understand,” the blonde hiccuped a bit as tears filled her eyes, “I don’t understand how my entire life, people have made me feel like it’s so <em>wrong</em> for girls to feel this way about other girls. To a point that I thought I was broken because I didn’t feel that way about <em>anybody</em>. I didn’t like the boys, and I knew I couldn’t like the girls, so I just felt <em>nothing</em>.”</p>
<p>Jamie’s hands were on her knees now, rubbing soothing stripes over the bare skin with her thumbs, letting her continue if she wanted to. And she did.</p>
<p>“But since I met you...I’ve been feeling something I’ve always been told I’m not supposed to feel for pretty much anyone but my ex. And it feels <em>good</em> when I’m not beating myself up about it. The butterflies in my stomach that my mom always told me I’d feel when I met the boy of my dreams, I feel them with <em>you</em>...when <em>you’re</em> around.”</p>
<p>The words were spilling out of her quickly. Too quick for her brain to keep up. But she just had so much bottled up. And now that the cork was popped, the words and tears were flowing out of her with ease. She practically melted into the feeling of Jamie’s hands on her arms, having moved up from her knees, warm palms now rubbed up and down her forearms.</p>
<p>“And this…” she stopped to laugh through her tears, wiping her eyes as she shook her head, “This was supposed to be me coming to comfort you, not the other way around.”</p>
<p>Jamie just smirked and shrugged her shoulders, “Hey, your company brings me more comfort than you think,” she let her hands linger on Dani’s arms before bringing one up to wipe a falling tear from her cheek, lingering there instead. And the younger girl couldn’t help but notice the way she said that having her around <em>brings</em> her comfort, rather than saying she <em>brought</em> it to her just this one time.</p>
<p>“You probably think I’m crazy, huh?” Dani sniffled, unable to resist leaning into her palm. </p>
<p>Jamie just chuckled quietly, running her thumb against her smooth rosy skin. “Surprisingly sane, actually,” her voice was low, near a whisper. She didn’t really see a point in talking any louder when they were not only alone, but in such close confines. </p>
<p>Dani just shook her head, missing the warmth when the brunette’s hand dropped back down to her knee. “Still, I-I’m sorry,” she wiped at her eyes again, sniffling quietly. </p>
<p>“No need to be, I promise,” she rubbed her knee soothingly, unknowingly sending a tingle down Dani’s spine, “Look, I know what it feels like. Feeling like you’re broken or that something’s wrong with you because of who you’re attracted to. Doesn’t help that not a lot of people seem to understand, either.”</p>
<p>Dani nodded her head slowly, still sniffling with leftover tears as she stared at the brunette who seemed to only want to look down at their laps. </p>
<p>“So...I get it,” she continued, finally lifting her head to meet her gaze, “But it’s no one’s business but your own.”</p>
<p>“Are you...I mean, do you…” she stammered, wondering what she was trying to say, “People know about...you?”</p>
<p>Jamie just pressed her lips into a straight line, nodding her head before glancing down at their laps again, noticing that Dani had, at some point, taken her fingers into her own. “They do,” she sighed, “Not by <em>my</em> choice, but…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ve heard rumors flying around this place. Probably from Rebecca.”</p>
<p>“She...she mentioned...a few things.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, she mentioned a few things to a lot of people,” Jamie just shook her head with a bitter smile, “I wasn’t always hated around here. I actually used to have <em>a lot</em> of friends. Until three years ago, the other counselors, these people that I grew up with, they were one of the only reasons I wanted to come back here every summer.”</p>
<p>Dani was quiet, letting Jamie speak now. She owed her at least that much after she saw her through an emotional breakdown. </p>
<p>“Rebecca and I met here at camp when I was six, she was seven. And she was...my best friend in the whole world. She showed me around camp cause she’d been here before, and I looked up to her so much. She saw me through my darkest days. As we got older, coming here every summer, I started to realize some things about myself. And when I confided in her about it, she was <em>so</em> supportive. She said I was her best friend and nothing could change that.”</p>
<p>The blonde swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that obviously, something <em>had</em> changed that. But she kept idly toying with Jamie’s fingers in her lap as she listened. Despite her distracted hands, her eyes and ears were attentive. </p>
<p>“And for a while, nothing <em>did</em> change that. Until she met Peter a couple years ago,” her lips curled into a scowl at the name, “I still don’t know how, but...he changed her. Twisted himself into her until she was more like him than herself.” She took a long pause and a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders that had become so tense during her story. </p>
<p>“She talked him into working here at the camp when they were sixteen. Vi always needs staff, so she hired him without many questions,” she waved a hand before letting it tangle up with Dani’s again, “So one day, I’m coming up from the lake, headed to the bathrooms...and I catch Peter in a shower stall with Kaitlin Westerburg…<em>and</em> Renee McCallister.”</p>
<p>Dani’s eyebrows shot to her hairline, her fingers stilling at that little twist in the story. </p>
<p>“Thing is, though...Rebecca didn’t believe me when I told her,” she huffed, frustrated, like she was fifteen all over again in the same situation, “She called me a liar, said I was just jealous that she was spending all her time with him instead of me. And before I knew it...word about me had spread around camp...and I had no friends left. Except Hannah, the saint she is. And Owen.”</p>
<p>“Jamie…” the younger girl squeezed her hand gently, not letting her gaze stray from her face, “I’m so…<em>so</em> sorry.”</p>
<p>“It’s all good. Learned who my real friends were after that. Not nearly as many, but I prefer quality over quantity anyway,” she brunette shook her head, curls brushing against her shoulders with each turn of her head. </p>
<p>Dani wasn’t sure what to say. She knew there were more pieces to Jamie’s puzzle, but connecting this particular piece broke her heart. Jamie didn’t deserve that. Nobody did. And she wanted, so badly, to change the past for her; Or change people’s minds about her. </p>
<p>Taking her hand a bit more firmly in her own, Dani tried to let her know that she was there for her and that she could trust her, even though she couldn’t find the right words to say it out loud. She tried to show it through the firm grip of her hand and the intense look in her eyes, just praying that Jamie received the message. </p>
<p>She watched as a pink tongue darted out over Jamie’s pink lips, leaving a sheen on them that was blinding even in the dark, but the longer she stared, the more they started to seem irresistible; Like she would implode if she didn’t kiss them again. </p>
<p>So much for being a friend and nothing more. </p>
<p>The simple move of raising a hand to Jamie’s warm, pale cheek had felt so bold. Considering her actions the night before, she couldn’t understand how that was. But she didn’t let the fear stop her. Wetting her own lips, she leaned forward, watching Jamie’s eyelids flutter closed as they met in a kiss again. </p>
<p>This one was different than last night, Dani could already tell. Last night had been stiff and nervous while somehow being alite with fiery passion from the built up tension. This was...still passionate, but tender. Softer. Through the kiss, it was as if they told each other <em>”You’ve been through too much, but I’m here for you now. You have me. I’m here.”</em> And it was everything Dani thought a kiss could be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you all again for your feedback to this story so far! i don’t usually respond to comments on fics unless they’re questions but i do see all of them and i do cry over them daily because i appreciate all of you so much!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you again for all your wonderful comments, they really do mean the world to me!</p><p>there is a bit of a time jump in this chapter, so when you see that we’re at five weeks left of camp after there were just seven, that was intentional.</p><p>show lines really too good not to steal. forgive me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Wednesday July 4, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Seven Weeks Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>Dani always felt pressure. With Eddie, there was always pressure. Maybe not from him, directly, but there were expectations that they had to meet to please everyone else.<p>They had to be this ideal couple that everyone at school envied. The perfect childhood friends to lovers story that would have the perfect ending; A fairytale wedding, a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a golden retriever. She grew up thinking that was what every girl wanted. And she had been <em>so lucky</em> to be the one on her way to getting it. Only, she didn’t want it. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she knew damn well that she didn’t want that.</p><p>She’d been so tired all her life, exhausted from the heavy loads that were constantly being put on her back for her to carry around. They weighed her down until she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore. And that’s exactly what lead her to Vermont, working at a summer camp far from home before starting school, leaving all those pressures and expectations behind so she could be free. </p><p>And while she <em>was</em> free, free from her family, free from her relationship, free from her dull, monotonous Iowa town, she wasn’t really free. Not entirely. Even in this tiny town just outside the city, lost in the woods with a bunch of strangers, she couldn’t truly be herself. Not completely. </p><p>But with Jamie…</p><p>For something so complicated, Dani never would have thought that something could feel so <em>easy</em>. There were no expectations, no pressures. Dani didn’t expect anything from Jamie, and Jamie didn’t expect anything from her. They just...existed in this place together. </p><p>Over the next few days, there were subtle glances exchanged from across crowded rooms as usual, knowing smirks and casual waves that lead to flushed cheeks, shy smiles, and brief conversations on the field during supervised activities. That’s all there was to it. </p><p>To anyone else, they were friends. Nothing more, nothing less. No one saw the winks that Jamie sent to her from across the mess hall. They didn’t catch the way that their hands would remain clasped together longer than normal friends’ would be when Dani would help Jamie up from where she sat on the grass. The two girls may as well have been in their own little world.</p><p>And though there were no expectations from one another, there was still want. Dani didn’t expect Jamie to hold her hand in the back of the room during next weekend’s movie night, but she <em>wanted</em> her to.  She didn’t expect Jamie to whisk her away to kiss her in a secluded spot during the next bonfire, but she <em>wanted</em> her to. And the more she thought about it, the less it scared her.</p><p>She thought about it a lot, if she were honest. Maybe more than she was willing to admit. But it seemed that every free minute of the day she had, she found herself counting down the minutes until she knew she would see Jamie again.</p><p>And as of right now, she had approximately an hour before she would see her at lunch. If she were lucky, she would see her somewhere on the field or the playground during the kids’ free time. She didn’t know what Jamie’s schedule was. Sometimes during the hour between morning activities and lunch she was assigned to random tasks. Just like there were times that Dani was in charge of delivering mail to bunks and would catch Jamie playing frisbee with the kids on the field. </p><p>“Dani!” Nellie came barreling into the arts and crafts room, nearly tripping over her untied shoelaces on her way in.</p><p>“Hi, Nellie,” the blonde smiled, taking a break from cleaning up after her morning group to come around and tie the seven year old’s shoes for her, “What are you doing here? How was Caterpillars this morning?”</p><p>“Good,” the little girl panted with a smile, clearly out of breath from running over from the garden, “Jamie told me to give these to you.”</p><p>Dani watched as she pulled a little bouquet of daisies and a few other wildflowers from behind her back, held together in a slim roll of paper, her heart starting to race just a little as she took the bundle into her hands. “For me?”</p><p>“I guess so,” Nellie shrugged, “But she wanted me to tell you that the paper is a note, so don’t throw it away!”</p><p>Biting her lip, Dani stood back up, holding the stems delicately as she unrolled the slip of paper from around them. “Can you go get me that clay vase over there and put a little water in it for me, please? So we can put these on the windowsill?” she tilted her head in the direction of a pottery shelf with a warm smile, hoping she could get a moment to herself to read whatever the note said. </p><p>Eager to help, the little girl ran off, leaving Dani standing alone by the doorway with the mysterious note in one hand and the bouquet in the other. And with her bottom lip pulled between her teeth, she unrolled it quickly while she had the chance. </p><p>
  <em>Would’ve given you some of the marigolds I’ve got the rugrats growing, but they’re still in bloom. Figured some wildflowers would do for now. You seem like the type who loves daisies anyway.</em>
</p><p>Dani bit her lip a little harder as she tried to control the smile that threatened to take over her face. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as Nellie held the vase under the faucet of the utility sink in the corner before turning back to read the rest of Jamie’s scratchy handwriting. </p><p>
  <em>Meet me at the swingset tonight at 8:00 before the fireworks?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>J</em>
</p><p>“What’s it say?” Nellie’s eager voice from right behind her made her nearly jump out of her skin with a yelp. But she straightened herself up and brushed her hair from her flushed face before turning around, smiling down at the seven year old. </p><p>She chuckled, taking the vase and putting the flowers in, fluffing them up a bit before placing them on the windowsill where they could get plenty of sun. “It says we’re having hot dogs and french fries for lunch, so we better go work up an appetite during free time,” she opened the rolled paper again, pretending to read from it to appease the camper, “So come on, let’s go.”</p><p>She took Nellie’s hand and put the note in her pocket, unable to keep the smile from her face as they walked out of the room. </p><p>There were eight hours and fifty-two minutes left until 8:00.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been jumpy since lunch,” Rebecca eyed the way Dani bounced back and forth on her feet, her hands stuffed deeply into the pockets of her B.L.Y. hoodie, making the fabric stretch tautly with every pull.<p>“I’m fine. Just excited for the fireworks,” Dani lied, helping usher kids onto the sandy shore of the beach. Beach towels were laid out all along the strip so hopefully no one would end the night with sand in their shorts. But knowing these kids, it would happen anyway. </p><p>Dani didn’t pay Rebecca’s curious glances much mind. It was difficult figuring out where she stood with her anyway. She’d been a terrific co-counselor and bunk mate, but Dani had yet to see any real attempt at friendship from her. It didn’t hurt her feelings too much. Having Rebecca as a friend wasn’t something she was very interested in anymore. Especially since Jamie had told her a piece of her backstory last Saturday, huddled up close with her on the floor of the dark gymnasium. </p><p>Time was ticking slower than ever. She felt like she glanced at her watch once every hour, only to find out that a mere ten minutes had passed. The only time that the time moved fast, <em>too</em> fast, was at lunch, when she’d caught Jamie’s eyes from across the mess hall, sending her a subtle nod in response to the note she’d received. And Jamie, leant back casually in her chair, just smiled back at her with rosy cheeks, overjoyed that yes, Dani <em>would</em> meet her at the swingset at 8:00.</p><p><em>7:45</em> her wristwatch read. She double checked to make sure the tiny red hand was still moving, paranoid that her watch may have stopped working. That would be just her luck, being late for something she’d been looking forward to all day just because her watch stopped working at the worst possible time. </p><p>Slowly but surely, kids stopped passing through the headcount checkpoint they’d made by the staircase. They had all 98 of them. Counselors and other staff were making their way to the lake on their own time, bringing glow sticks and other little things to keep the kids entertained until the fireworks started at 8:30.</p><p>
  <em>7:55</em>
</p><p>“I’ll be back,” Dani’s breath was ragged as she picked anxiously at the threads on the inside of her pockets, making her way up the wooden steps from the beach, “Bathroom.”</p><p>“Don’t take too long, I wanna get a good spot on the dock,” Rebecca called after her. Thankfully she said she was going to the bathroom, otherwise her stiffness and nervous little dances may have seemed suspicious. </p><p>“Save me a spot!” she turned her head to shout back. But she was up the short steps and out of the older girl’s sight within seconds. </p><p>It was a miracle she didn’t trip over her own feet at all as she walked up the path, walking the curved concrete past the girl’s cabins. </p><p>“Hey, Dani, where you headed?” a voice stopped her in her tracks, making her nearly lose her breath with fear as she turned around to face Viola, who was standing a few yards away with the clipboard that Dani now assumed was glued to her hands. </p><p>“Um, j-just back to my cabin. I forgot to grab a towel,” she released a nervous breath, her hands still shoved in her pockets as if they would give her secret away if she let them out.</p><p>“Oh, okay. Well, the fireworks start in about a half hour. They put on a pretty great display, you don’t wanna miss it.”</p><p>Nodding her head, Dani thanked her quietly and turned back around to continue her walk, making sure to walk a little slower so she didn’t pass her cabin and blow her cover. But once Viola disappeared around the trees and down to the beach, she took off even faster.</p><p>
  <em>7:58</em>
</p><p>It was a four minute walk to the playground from the cabins at a strolling pace. But Dani was determined to make it there on time. Early, if she could. Though, it would be a feat. Looking to make sure no one was around, she took off in a near-jog, wanting to get under the trees and down to the playground as soon as she could. </p><p>Only problem was that, despite being a young woman with a passion for jazzercise, Dani seemed to have the lung capacity of a small child. And by the time she reached the playground, stopping to catch her breath, she felt like one of her lungs was going to completely collapse in her chest. </p><p>“In a rush, were you?” <em>that</em> voice seeped into her ears, carrying an amused smugness along with it.</p><p>Standing up straight, Dani held her hand over her pounding heart while her other hand fixed the pink headband that was now failing at holding hair back from her face. One glance to her left and she could see Jamie swinging casually on the swingset, starting to slow down now that she had arrived. </p><p>“I didn’t...wanna be late,” she panted, checking her watch to see that it was exactly 8:00. And the burning in her lungs was suddenly worth it. </p><p>Coming to a stop on the swing, Jamie got up and grabbed a backpack from off the ground, slinging it over her shoulder before crossing the few yards to meet Dani as her breathing started to even out. </p><p>“You’re cute,” was all she had to say as she stepped up to her with a crooked, smug grin on her face.</p><p>And Dani, still a bit breathless, was now realizing just how long it had been since she’d kissed those smirking lips. That feeling of want still came with unconscious anxiety, telling her that she shouldn’t <em>want</em>. But she’d reached a point where she was finally able to push that nagging voice away so she could finally <em>feel</em> something for another person, even if they were a girl. </p><p>In two long strides, she managed to dart her tongue over her lips, ridding them of the dryness that came from taking too many puffs of air, and kissed Jamie with an urgency that she managed to even surprise herself with. But it wasn’t unwelcomed, considering the sound of the backpack hitting the wood chips under their feet followed by the feeling of gentle but needy hands at her sides, pulling her in closer. </p><p>Lips, tongues, and teeth clashed together with a newfound urgency, mixed with low, raspy hums to match airy, high pitched whimpers of relief. Dani let her fingers roam, moving them from their spot clasped behind Jamie’s neck where they toyed with the wispy hairs at her lower hairline, to her jaw, her shoulders, and finally coming to rest against her collarbone. And the feeling of the brunette’s heart beating just as fast and sturdy as her own sent a giggle from her lips and into the heated kiss.</p><p>“Somethin’ funny?” she could feel Jamie’s lips curl into a grin, dropping a few kisses against hers before pulling back only slightly.</p><p>“Mm-mm,” the blonde shook her head, pressing her forehead to hers as she took a deep breath, “Just...happy, I guess.”</p><p>“Well good,” Jamie stepped back, taking her hand as she bent down to pick up the backpack again, “Cause we’ve got a good…” she stopped to glance at her watch, “...twenty-five minutes before the fireworks start. So, let’s go.”</p><p>Eyebrows creased together with confusion as Dani allowed herself to be tugged along, following Jamie wherever she went. “Are we going to the beach?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“But the fireworks—“</p><p>“We’ll see the fireworks, Poppins, trust me.”</p><p><em>”Trust me”</em> was something Dani heard a lot over the years. Most of the people who said it to her proved that she, in fact, shouldn’t have trusted them at all. So trust wasn’t something that came easily to her. But she still followed, at least believing for now that Jamie wouldn’t put her in harm’s way. </p><p>“Good thing you wore your walking shoes,” Jamie glanced down at her white Keds with a chuckle, gently running her thumb over the back of her hand as they walked.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“You’ll see.”</p><p>They seemed to stray further and further from the beach and more into the wooded areas that surrounded the camp. Dani hoped that Jamie had brought a flashlight or something, because at the rate the sun was setting, it would be too dark to see anything within a few minutes. </p><p>“Where, uh..where are we going?” she asked, a bit winded as they climbed an inclined path. The fact that there was a path was a good sign, at least. </p><p>“You’ll find out. Patience,” the brunette chuckled, shaking her head, hiking the backpack up a little higher on her shoulder.</p><p>After a few more minutes of silence, Dani glanced around at the surrounding woods, feeling that the silence was a little too eerie for her liking. “Are you...taking me out here to kill me?” she laughed shakily, only half joking. </p><p>“Keep asking questions, I might have to,” green eyes met hers with a playful, quirked eyebrow, silently letting her know that she was <em>fully</em> joking. </p><p>It wasn’t long before the ground evened out, making it easier to walk as they came to a clearing. It wasn’t a huge space, but it was a grassy little patch of cliff that overlooked the lake. Dani’s eyes widened at the view, taking in the gradient of deep orange, yellow, light blue, then dark blue that painted the sky. The way the pine trees that surrounded the lake below looked black against the light and the ripples in the lake reflected the last remains of the setting sun, it was like a painting that she couldn’t look away from. </p><p>“There aren’t too many secret spots around this place,” Jamie sighed, “Especially not with so many people around. Been on enough nature walks with the kids to know that this one’s hardly ever occupied, though.”</p><p>“It’s beautiful,” the younger girl breathed, still taking in the view as she walked a little closer to the railing that lined the edge of the cliff. If she squinted hard enough, she could see the spot Rebecca was saving for her on the dock of the lake. </p><p>Jamie zipped open the backpack she’d brought with her, unrolling and laying out the blanket that was packed inside while Dani admired the view. “And we made it with five minutes to spare,” she added with a bit of a chuckle, lowering herself onto the blanket.</p><p>Biting her lip, Dani grinned back at her, walking in small steps to the blanket and lowering herself down about a foot away, suddenly feeling shy. But the brunette didn’t mention anything of it. Instead she just reached into the backpack again, pulling out two Minute Maid juice boxes with a raspy breath of laughter.</p><p>“Apple or grape? Couldn’t find any fruit punch in the cooler,” she smirked, placing both boxes on the blanket between them before flicking her eyes up to Dani’s face. </p><p>With an airy laugh, Dani just picked up the carton of apple juice, unwrapping the straw before poking it into the box as Jamie did the same with hers. “Cheers,” she giggled, holding her juice box up.</p><p>Jamie just rolled her eyes affectionately, tapping her carton against Dani’s with a whispered “cheers” before sipping through the straw. It was quiet enough in their secluded little spot that they could hear the commotion from down on the beach. Normally Dani hated silence. It was always so awkward. But this was comfortable, to say the least. She’d never had comfortable silence with anyone before. </p><p>“Thank you...for the flowers. They’re beautiful,” she looked over at the slightly older counselor with a soft smile.</p><p>“There were <em>supposed</em> to be two more daisies in the bouquet, but Nellie insisted on having one for herself and one to take back to Flora,” the brunette chuckled, “Hope you don’t mind.”</p><p>Blue eyes just took in the woman beside her, watching as she leaned back on one hand so cooley while she sipped from a juice box and gazed out at the night sky. And looking at Jamie, Dani felt like she finally understood. </p><p>She never understood the hype of pairing off, finding someone that you want to spend all your time with. Other couples in school always seemed so happy. Or they were so filled with raging hormones that they ended up with detention for making out in the hallways. Things like kissing and holding hands, flaunting your relationship to the world, she never felt like it was a big deal. She always assumed that people were faking it, putting on a show to fit in with the crowd. That was what she did with Eddie. </p><p>The smile that would spread on her face when he kissed her cheek after dropping her off at her Spanish class after lunch, it never reached her eyes. But everyone thought she was happy, and that they were the perfect couple. So maybe to save her own feelings, she assumed that everyone else was just putting on a show too.</p><p>But with Jamie, she got it. There were times when it felt like they were the only two people in the world, despite being in a room full of people, making it harder for her to refrain from kissing her or cuddling up to her side like she didn’t care that everyone could see. If she could, she would hold Jamie’s hand in front of everyone, shout to the world that she was the one who got to hold Jamie Taylor’s hand and that she was lucky enough to have Jamie hold hers in return.</p><p>Pulling her knees up to her chest, Dani watched as the first firework shell flew visibly into the air, erupting in a glowing splash of bright red against the dark sky. A smile pulled at her lips as more popped up, lighting up the whole area so brightly that it may as well have been daytime. </p><p>“I always loved fireworks,” she sighed dreamily, resting her cheek atop her knees as she looked over to see Jamie eyeing her with a look she couldn’t place. “What?” came out with an uncontrollable giggle. </p><p>“Nothing,” the brunette shook her head, turning to face the fireworks display with a content grin and basking in the colors that lit up her face. </p><p>With a bit of a sigh, Dani sipped at her apple juice again, putting the carton aside before scooting closer to her, unsure why she’d decided to sit a whole foot away in the first place. A variety of colors appeared in the sky with distant pops, a few bigger ones booming loud enough to be felt in her chest. </p><p>“Those ones are my favorite,” she chuckled a bit, seating herself right at Jamie’s side as a firework snapped in the air, followed by a fading crackling sound.</p><p>Jamie smiled a bit to herself, leaning her cheek against the mop of blonde that came to rest on her shoulder, “I always liked the ones that look like falling stars. My little brother used to call them ‘raining gold’.”</p><p>Dani glanced down at her lap briefly as she took in Jamie’s words. She had a little brother. It just reminded her that there was so much about this girl that she didn’t know. She’d never force her to talk about any of it. But she hoped that eventually, at some point over the next eight weeks, Jamie might trust her enough to let her in. There was plenty that Dani wanted to tell her, too.</p><p>Lifting her head, she watched the colors in the sky light up Jamie’s face, pushing herself closer so she could reach her lips for a slow, delicate kiss. Soft lips clashed with her own as Jamie’s palm rested against her warm cheek, her thumb grazing the smooth, blushing skin. And Dani loved that something that once seemed so wrong, felt so natural to her now. Because she couldn’t imagine living a life without <em>this</em> feeling ever again. </p><p>“Happy Fourth of July, Poppins,” Jamie whispered into the grinning kiss just before Dani pressed further against her with hands at her shoulders. </p><p>To Dani, this was <em>way</em> better than any 4th of July she’d ever had back in Iowa.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Friday July 20, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Five Weeks Left of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Oh, come on, it’s a great movie, how could you not have seen it?” Jamie glared at Dani incredulously, wondering how the <em>hell</em> she’d never seen Back To The Future.<p>“I don’t like sci-fi!” the blonde defended herself with her head thrown back in laughter as they walked the trail they’d been down a little over two weeks ago. Only this time, they were surrounded by kids. </p><p>To the campers or anyone else, it was <em>so coincidental</em> that Dani’s last arts &amp; crafts group of the day was out on the trail, collecting materials for a new project at the same time that Jamie’s group of butterflies were out on a nature walk learning about the plant life. But the two had it planned for a week now, wanting an excuse to spend a little more time together, even if it meant being surrounded by six to twelve year olds. </p><p>Dani had never been the type to break rules, sneak around, or even set a foot out of line. If she did, it was on the rare occasion that she was feeling spontaneous. Like when she snuck a cigarette out of her mom’s purse and hid behind the shed with Eddie when they were fourteen, just before she agreed to be his girlfriend. Or when she ran away from home for the first (and only) time right after her dad died. Though, she only made it down the street to the O’Mara’s house where she stayed for the night and went promptly back home in the morning. </p><p>But here, she was realizing that spontaneity wasn’t scary. Exhilarating, yes; Sometimes to a point that she could hardly control her breathing. But not scary. Slowly but surely over the past few weeks, she’d been learning. Learning about herself, learning about freedom and what it really meant. Jamie made it so easy for her to just <em>live</em> and be herself, even if it was only in the sporadic moments when it was just the two of them. </p><p>Dani didn’t know what had changed within her when they had run off to be alone during the fireworks. One night of sneaking off, stepping out of ranks without telling anyone her whereabouts, and suddenly she felt like she could do anything. She was, in no way, a rebel. Not in the slightest. She still hated the idea of getting caught and getting in trouble, but that was what made it so exhilarating.</p><p>Looking back, the past two weeks had flown by. She’d stopped counting; Stopped keeping track of the time, wondering when she’d see Jamie next. Because she knew that she’d see her, even if it was just across the cafeteria three times a day. And while those days were good, there were days that were better. </p><p>Like the days when Dani would be doing busy work tasks, delivering clean towels to the cabins or picking up trash around the lake. It seemed most of those days, Jamie would appear out of nowhere, surprising her less and less each time before they ended up alone in one of their bunks or deep enough in the woods to not be seen, kissing like they knew they didn’t have much time. It was always brief, but always worth it. </p><p>And while Dani was learning to be more spontaneous and getting more comfortable with sneaking away, Jamie was learning to be more involved. The brunette wasn’t fond of spending time with everyone else. Considering how they talked about her behind her back, Dani didn’t blame her one bit. But in the last two weeks, Jamie had been to more campfires and more movie nights than she had in years. Any camp-wide gathering that wasn’t mandatory, she was there for it, much to everyone’s surprise. Not just because Dani was there, but she also enjoyed being part of it all again, not that she’d let anyone know.</p><p>Hannah had even come up to Dani during a free time shift that they shared, telling her that she’d noticed how much happier Jamie had been lately, thanking her for being such a good influence on her and getting her more involved. And Dani just smiled kindly and told her that Jamie had been a great friend to her, relishing in the fact that Hannah had no idea that the brunette had grabbed her ass while they made out in a janitor’s closet just two hours earlier. </p><p>It was a nice give and take bond they had formed. There was no label to it. And honestly, neither of them wanted one. Why complicate a good thing? </p><p>The windowsills in the arts &amp; crafts room were filling up with different flowers as they came to bloom in the garden. Marigolds, carnations, pretty much anything that the kids were growing sat perched by the windows in clay vases and pots from previous summers; Always delivered by one of the kids in Jamie’s groups unless she was safe to deliver them herself. Regardless, each of them came with little notes attached that Dani now had a small stash of in her trunk. </p><p>It had all been so easy and so comfortable that at times, Dani forgot that there was only a month left of it. </p><p>“Well, whenever they come out with a sequel, I’m dragging you to the theater,” Jamie chuckled, continuing their conversation about Back to the Future, “<em>After</em> you see the first one. Gotta catch you up to speed.”</p><p>Dani’s face just flushed, looking down at her shoes as she thought of the very idea of going to the movies or <em>anywhere</em> with Jamie outside of camp; Outside of this summer.</p><p>“I’ve seen it!” Shirley, a twelve year old from Jamie’s butterflies looked back at them with a grin, “My dad took me, Steve, and Theo to see it when it came out. Luke and Nellie were too little.”</p><p>“See? Even the twelve year old’s seen it,” Jamie gestured to the preteen, laughing a bit louder when Dani playfully shoved her shoulder.</p><p>Sighing after her own laughter died down, the younger counselor looked around as part of her wished she would never have to leave this place. It was a gorgeous, cloudless day with a mild temperature. Vermont really was a beautiful state and she couldn’t wait to spend her next few years here. Jamie told her about the way the leaves changed so drastically in the fall and how magical the snow was in the winter. </p><p>As she glanced around the scenery while the kids chattered through their little nature walk, Dani couldn’t help but notice something was wrong. With a furrowed brow, she tapped her finger into the air, doing a quick headcount. “How many kids do you have again?” she turned to the brunette.</p><p>“Ten, why?” </p><p>“I’ve got twelve, but someone’s missing.”</p><p>“Shit,” she whispered quietly, stopping in her tracks and blowing her whistle. “Oi, stop for a second!” she called over the kids’ heads, looking at all the faces of the ten to twelve year olds before sighing, “Miles. All right, who’s seen Miles? Anyone?”</p><p>“He ran ahead,” one of the boys pointed down the trail, “We told him not to.”</p><p>Blue eyes looked to Jamie, wide and worried about what to do. She’d never lost a kid before. They were out in the woods, what if he got lost? But Jamie remained calm, cool, and collected as if this happened all the time. </p><p>“All right, everyone get with your buddies. Liam, come back here with me til we find him,” she sighed, gesturing to Miles’s eleven year old group buddy.</p><p>“You guys too, buddy up, okay?” Dani nodded to her six and seven year old art group, watching with a nervous smile as they paired off and held hands with their assigned buddies. </p><p>“We’ll find him,” Jamie offered a reassuring smile to the near-panicked blonde beside her, “Come on, let’s keep going.”</p><p>They walked for another five minutes on the trail with no sign of the ten year old, all of them calling out his name in hopes that he would come back. Dani just hoped and <em>prayed</em> that he had just run back to camp to use the bathroom. </p><p>“Jamie, I—<em>ah!</em>” she started to speak before a figure landed right in front of her with a loud <em>“BOO!”</em>, sending her stumbling back, off her feet and into the greenery that lined the path, just shy of landing against a tree trunk. </p><p>Miles, who had jumped down from where he had been waiting up on an overhanging tree branch, just laughed until Jamie turned him a bit roughly by the shoulder to turn him to face her. </p><p>“That is <em>not</em> funny, mate, don’t you <em>ever</em> do that again, do you hear me? What the hell were you thinking?” she hissed with a bit of fire behind her green eyes. Miles had been a bit of a monster all summer. She could handle it when he got into arguments or threw dirt at the other kids from across the garden, but stuff like this wasn’t going to fly with her. </p><p>“Go stand with Liam,” she shook her head at the way he just stared back at her, rolling her eyes before carefully stepping through the sliver of woods beside the trail where Dani was on the ground, rubbing the back of her head. “You okay?” she asked, a bit breathless from the adrenaline of both getting scared by Miles and punishing him immediately after.</p><p>“Y-yeah,” the blonde nodded, rubbing her head where it had hit the ground before grabbing Jamie’s outstretched hand so she could be pulled up to her feet. </p><p>“Little shit,” she helped brush dirt off her shoulders and picked dead leaves from her hair, tossing them back down to the ground with a clenched jaw and tense shoulders, clearly shaken from the last minute and a half.</p><p>“He’s just a kid,” Dani mumbled and adjusted her t-shirt from where it had ridden up a bit with her fall to the ground, resisting every urge she had to cup that clenched jaw and kiss all the tension away.</p><p>Jamie just shook her head with tight lips, “A kid who owes you an apology, is what he is,” she glanced around, composing herself a little. She didn’t like looking genuinely mean in front of the kids. “Shit.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Jamie, let’s just—“</p><p>“No...I mean, you, uh...” Jamie started, her eyes squinting with a bit of a wince, “...you landed in poison ivy.”</p><p>Dani’s eyes widened and looked down at the ground where she had landed, sure enough finding the patches of leafy plants in a cluster around the tree. And with the way her t-shirt had ridden up when she landed (and the fact that she was wearing shorts), she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to enjoy the next few days.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>as of last night, i’m officially done writing this fic, so updates should be pretty regular from here on out!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>happy fridayyy! i hope you all have a great weekend!</p>
<p>yeah, we’re not huge fans of rebecca in this little universe i’ve created. i love rebecca in the show, but i needed a villain and i’m not a big fan of original characters :( it’s stan rebecca jessel hours outside of this fic ALWAYS!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Saturday July 28, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Four Weeks Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>Dani Clayton would never say she hated a child. That was against her own moral code. Besides, she didn’t have the energy to hate. But after the week of awkward, uncomfortable itching she’d endured from falling in a patch of poison ivy, if she had the ability to hate anyone, Miles Wingrave would be at the <em>top</em> of her list.<p>Having a rash was one thing. Having a rash on your lower back and the backs of your thighs was another. Not only was it embarrassing to be caught scratching, but the homemade lotion from the infirmary that Jamie had given to her (Miracle Mud, as she called it) was difficult to apply on her own. Though, that was proving to be both a blessing and a curse, considering Jamie was always so willing to help her. Jamie’s hands on her skin, attentively rubbing the medicine in: blessing. Jamie having to see and touch the red and swollen rash: curse. And it certainly didn’t help that Dani’s embarrassingly intense attraction to the brunette only grew stronger with every touch in the privacy of the infirmary, rash or not.  </p>
<p>“Hey, Becs, can you help me get this one spot on my back? I can’t reach,” she looked to the girl on the bed behind her who was relaxing back with a magazine while the girls in their cabin got ready to start the day and go to breakfast.</p>
<p>“Um…” the older girl lowered her magazine and looked her up and down with an uncomfortable frown, “I can’t....sorry.”</p>
<p>“Oh...o-okay,” she nodded with a polite smile, watching as Rebecca lifted her magazine back up to shield her face before turning back around, doing the best she could with the lotion on her own. It was starting to get better anyway. The swelling had gone down, but it was still a little red and it still got a little itchy every once in a while.</p>
<p>During free play after breakfast, she wandered off with Jamie, sitting on a bench in the greenhouse by the garden. There were enough counselors to supervise the kids and Dani really wasn’t in the mood to play freeze tag and or push anyone on the swings. </p>
<p>“You okay?” Jamie looked over at her from where she was tending to a few plants on the perimeter tables. </p>
<p>“I guess,” the blonde sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. It was warm and humid in the glass box of the greenhouse, making her hair frizz out a little. But she could hardly even bring herself to care when her mind was so wrapped up in her other swirling thoughts.</p>
<p>“You guess?”</p>
<p>Flicking her tongue over her lips, Dani looked back at her, watching her shoulder blades flex through her thin camp staff t-shirt as she lifted and lowered a small watering can. “Rebecca’s been kind of weird lately,” she admitted. She didn’t like to bring up her bunkmate around Jamie, knowing their history. But it had been bothering her and the brunette was the only one she knew would understand.</p>
<p>“How do you mean?”</p>
<p>“I mean, she’s been avoiding me, not talking to me much…” she shrugged, rocking back and forth idly on the padded bench, “This morning, I couldn’t reach a spot on my back to put that medicine on. And when I asked her for help, she said no. Just...I dunno. It’s been...strange with her.”</p>
<p>Putting the watering can down, Jamie wiped her hands off on her shorts before coming to sit beside her on the bench, draping her arm over the back so the younger counselor could lean into her; Finally, after waiting all morning. “This is a new thing?”</p>
<p>“Mmhm,” Dani leaned her head against her shoulder, breathing in the faint tobacco and ivory soap scent that was <em>Jamie</em>. “I mean, she’s helped me and some of the other counselors put on sunscreen before, I don’t see how this is any different. Unless she’s grossed out by it, which I totally understand. It is pretty gross looking. At least, I think it is. I can’t see it.”</p>
<p>Jamie was quiet, biting her lip as her eyes glazed over in thought. Dani couldn’t see her face, but she could feel how tense she got in the following moments. “Maybe best to just steer clear of her as much as you can,” she mumbled as she stood back up, distracted, “Hard with her being your bunkmate, I know, but…”</p>
<p>“Jamie?”</p>
<p>She turned her back, going to tend to the plants again, though she’d done all she could for them already. “Dani, trust me, just...don’t let her get to you, okay? Ever since Peter came along, she’s...she’s just different. Can’t trust her with anything.” </p>
<p>Knowing Rebecca and how she was, Jamie was almost positive that she knew what Rebecca’s angle was. Especially since the older counselor knew that Dani had been spending time with her more and more lately.</p>
<p>“She told me to steer clear of <em>you</em>,” Dani bit her lip, blurting the words out. And the way Jamie’s shoulders hunched with tension from her words made her feel awful. “On the first night of camp...before I went to see you in the mess hall she...she told me to be careful around you. And that some girl got fired because of you…?”</p>
<p>“Sounds like something she’d say.”</p>
<p>“Is that true?” Dani stood from the bench and wrung her hands in front of her, inching towards where Jamie stood a few feet away with her back still turned, “Why would she say that?”</p>
<p>“Does it matter?” the brunette shrugged, a little too nonchalant for Dani’s liking. And she still wouldn’t look at her. </p>
<p>She came up beside her at the table, watching as she gently adjusted soil in a small pot, “It wouldn’t change anything, if that’s what you mean,” she mumbled, “Not between us.” </p>
<p>After everything, she did trust Jamie’s word over Rebecca’s. Only thing was, she didn’t have Jamie’s word on whatever happened however many summers ago with the other girl. All she had was Rebecca’s take on a story that seemed to really bother the girl that was in front of her now. “I’m sorry,” she uttered at Jamie’s lack of response. Her voice was quiet as she stepped back from the gardener who still hadn’t looked at her, “I shouldn’t have—“</p>
<p>“Her name was Trish,” Jamie started, her shoulders squared and her back still turned. But she turned around slowly, leaning back against the table with her arms folded around herself as she looked anywhere but at Dani. “Two summers ago, she started working here. I knew her from school, but we didn’t really interact much there. Hung out in different crowds. Or…<em>she</em> hung out in a crowd. I kept to myself.”</p>
<p>Dani sat back down on the bench, keeping her head turned towards Jamie, her hands clasped tightly, nervously, between her knees as she listened.</p>
<p>“She quit. She wasn’t fired. That’s just what Rebecca apparently likes to tell people to...I dunno, to make sure that I don’t make any new friends around here.”</p>
<p>“Why did she quit?”</p>
<p>“Rebecca caught us kissing in Viola’s office. I was in there doing scut work while Vi went into town. And Trish had stopped in to see me,” Jamie’s hands went into her shorts pockets with a shrug, “But three days later...she quit...Because Rebecca told everyone. Haven’t seen or heard from her since.”</p>
<p>Dani’s heart sank in her chest as she bit her lip. It broke her in half, seeing Jamie look so crestfallen. She understood a little better why Jamie was so insistent on her keeping her head down around Rebecca. It was difficult for her to think of what she would do in that situation, if she were in Trish’s shoes, getting caught and outed to everyone. As of right now, it was easy for Dani to say that she wouldn’t run like she did. But she knew that things were all easier said than done. </p>
<p>“So just…” Jamie sighed, shaking her head as she turned back to her plants, “I dunno. I can’t tell you what to do or who to hang out with. That’s not my place. But <em>please</em>...Dani, just be careful. Can’t lose you, too.”</p>
<p>The blonde’s chest fluttered a bit at that last bit as she chewed her bottom lip, standing back up to approach her again. She ran a delicate hand slowly up Jamie’s back through her navy blue t-shirt, feeling the muscles tense under her palm. “Jamie…” she swallowed, tugging gently at her shoulder to get her to turn around, hoping that she would.</p>
<p>Finally, though slowly, Jamie turned, bleary eyes meeting her own as Dani cupped her hands on either side of her face, running her thumbs over her still-dry cheeks. She hoped that through her gentle movements and the look in her eyes, Jamie would understand all the words she wanted to say, but couldn’t piece together enough to form any actual sentences. In her thoughts, they made perfect sense.</p>
<p>Green eyes fluttered shut with a single fallen tear as Jamie leaned into her, pressing her warm lips to Dani’s and pulling her closer. The blonde was still trying to understand how a kiss could be so many things at once. How was it that their lips could mesh so softly together while fiery passion burned in her stomach? How could she still feel the softest flap of butterfly wings inside even if they were locked in a kiss so heated and rushed that it ended faster than it started?</p>
<p>But she was learning that things with Jamie didn’t have to make sense. If it felt right, it <em>was</em> right. And everything about Jamie was <em>so</em>, so right. In a moment like this, should anyone walk in on them to see her arms looping around the brunette’s neck while her hands crept under her t-shirt to hold, so gently, onto her sides, Dani couldn’t imagine running. She couldn’t imagine leaving something like this, <em>someone</em> like this, because she was afraid of what others would think. </p>
<p>But again, everything was always easier said than done.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>Dani never wanted to miss campfire nights. There was just something about them that was just so authentically <em>summer camp</em>. If you asked anyone what came to mind when they thought of summer camps, campfires would be somewhere on their list. It was the sense of camaraderie that came with it; Everyone singing songs together, playing games, toasting marshmallows, it was just <em>fun</em>.<p>And they were even better now. Because lately, Jamie <em>“campfires aren’t my thing”</em> Taylor was there for every single one, and she fit right in. Dani would watch as the curly-haired brunette taught the kids how to make proper s’mores and told them light ghost stories that were scary enough to thrill them, but not scary enough to keep them up at night. And they loved her. That was what mattered. To the two teenage counselors, they may as well have been the only two around with all the kids. The other people around, Rebecca, Peter, everyone else just faded into the darkness.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to walk with me, I could’ve handled it,” Dani looked over at the brunette with an affectionate smile. Nellie was giggling loudly as she rode on Jamie’s back after the campfire, while Flora was perched on her own back. The rest of the girls were walking with their buddies, paired off for the walk from the fire pit to the cabins. </p>
<p>Jamie just shrugged her shoulders, hiking Nellie a bit higher when she started to slip. “Better than sitting around listening to Arthur play the same three songs on a loop with his guitar.” She wanted to add on the fact that she really only went to the campfires to spend time with her. And there wasn’t any point in staying if Dani wasn’t there. “Besides, you can’t give two piggyback rides at once.”</p>
<p>Once they reached the cabin, they dropped the girls down to their feet, sending them up the steps and into the building. Jamie, leaned against the railing, just smirked as she watched Dani usher the girls up the steps, double counting to make sure she had them all.</p>
<p>“I want everyone’s teeth brushed, hands washed, and pajamas on!” she called up after them, watching them all file into the cabin. And once the door was closed behind the last one, she relaxed her shoulders and leaned against the opposite railing from Jamie, wringing her fingers in front of her. “Thanks for helping me take them back.”</p>
<p>“Course. Woulda just been heading back to mine anyway,” the brunette nodded, looking at how Dani’s hair seemed to shimmer like gold under the porch light.</p>
<p>It was silent except for the muffled sounds of chattering six to nine year old girls behind the cabin walls. Nobody was around since everyone had gone to bed or was still at the campfire. And a quiet moment alone like this one was too rare to be wasted. At least that was the excuse Dani had come up with in the single stride it took her to get from her side of the stairs to Jamie’s, wrapping her arms around her neck to plant a firm kiss on her lips.</p>
<p>Dani giggled into her mouth, tasting the excessive amount of marshmallows she’d eaten earlier on her tongue as it stroked against her own. For someone so bold and flirty, Jamie sometimes seemed genuinely surprised when Dani would sneak up on her with a kiss. The blonde wondered how it could possibly come as a shock. Not only had they shared a countless amount of kisses over the past few weeks, but did she really think that Dani would be able to keep herself away after being tortured with secret stolen glances and subtle touches during the campfire?</p>
<p>Pulling back with one last peck, she pressed her forehead to the brunette’s while one of her hands toyed with the gentle curls that flowed through her shoulder-length hair, twirling them around her fingers distractedly.</p>
<p>“So...how’s your back end doing?” Jamie smirked, laughing to herself when Dani pulled back with a heavy blush to top off the incredulous look on her face. </p>
<p>“Seriously, Jamie? You wanna talk about my gross rash right now?” she couldn’t even keep a straight face with Jamie laughing. It was too contagious. Pounding her fists playfully against her collarbone, Dani giggled, trying not to shriek when Jamie pulled her closer, preventing her from making any kind of escape.</p>
<p>“Stoppp,” she whined through her laughter, trying to pull back even more when tickling fingers came down to her sides. But the sound of the cabin door opening sent them practically flying apart, clearing their throats awkwardly as Flora appeared at the top of the steps.</p>
<p>“What were you doing?” the little girl asked with an innocently tilted head.</p>
<p>Looking to Jamie with wide eyes, Dani just released a bit of extra breath she had in her lungs and shook her head. “We were just talking. What are you doing, Flora? You should be going to bed.”</p>
<p>“I’m trying, But I’m…” the eight year old sighed, looking down at her fingers a bit sadly, “I’m quite homesick.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” the blonde frowned, climbing the two steps up to meet her at the top, “I’m sorry, Flora. You miss your uncle?” She sat on the top step, urging the camper to sit beside her while Jamie stood listening at the bottom.</p>
<p>“I suppose so,” her shoulders slumped as she leaned against her counselor, “I miss my mum and dad.”</p>
<p>“Where are they?”</p>
<p>“They...they died,” Flora mumbled, causing Dani’s heart to nearly stop in her chest. She hadn’t known that. “A car crash...earlier this year. That’s why me and Miles went to live with Uncle Henry.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry, Flora, I didn’t—“</p>
<p>“Have you ever been to a funeral, Dani?” Flora glanced up at her, waiting for her answer. This conversation wasn’t one she assumed she’d be having. Not tonight. Not with a kid. “We had to go to theirs. Miles didn’t cry at all, even though it was perfectly dreadful.”</p>
<p>“I, um…” she flicked her tongue over her dry lips and looked to Jamie, her eyes begging for help. But she knew there was nothing the brunette could do to help her. But at least she came to sit with them on the top step, placing herself directly on Flora’s other side. “I have,” she finally admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat as she ran a hand gently over the braid in Flora’s hair. </p>
<p>She knew Jamie was listening. But the older girl had given her so many of her missing puzzle pieces, it was only fair that Dani gave her some of her own. Though, it was unexpected; And indirect, since she was really telling her story to Flora. “My dad died. When I was about your age.”</p>
<p>“Did he die in a car crash too?” Flora asked innocently.</p>
<p>“No, he was, um...he was sick. For a really long time. Or, at least it felt like a really long time,” blue eyes dared to look to Jamie as she bit her lip nervously. But the brunette just looked back at her with a deep sympathy written all over her face as Dani continued, “But you know, your mom and dad are always with you. Always.”</p>
<p>“Because dead doesn’t mean gone,” Flora nodded with a solemn smile, “That’s what Uncle Henry says.”</p>
<p>“R-right. And hey, maybe tomorrow you can write another letter to your uncle,” she smoothed some hair away from her small forehead before rubbing her back.</p>
<p>“Do you think he’ll write back this time?” doe eyes stared up at her again and it made her heart crack nearly in half. Flora and Miles hadn’t received a single piece of mail all summer. And she knew that Flora had sent <em>at least</em> four letters out so far this summer. </p>
<p>“Maybe,” it hurt her to say. How could their uncle not write them back after all this time? “Maybe he’s just busy. But I’m sure he misses you both, <em>so</em> so much.” </p>
<p>Flora was quiet after a sigh, staring out at the field in the distance, deep in thought. The blonde took the time that she was distracted to look over to Jamie again, hoping that the look in her eyes conveyed how sorry she was for the interruption; But she could see the understanding compassion in the green eyes that met hers.</p>
<p>“All right, come on, sweet girl, let’s get you to bed,” Dani sighed, standing up and taking Flora with her, “We’ve got a kickball game to win tomorrow, so you’re gonna need all the rest you can get, okay?”</p>
<p>Saying goodnight, she dropped Flora at the door. Even after it had closed, she remained staring at the white wooden door, wringing her fingers in front of her as she tried to convince herself to turn around and go back to Jamie, who (as far as she knew) was still sitting on the top step, leaning back against a beam of the wooden railing.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled, moving to sit back beside her on the steps. She didn’t know what she was apologizing for. She knew that Jamie wasn’t going to hold it against Flora for coming out of the cabin and interrupting them. She wasn’t like that. But she knew a bit of a damper had been put on the carefree mood that surrounded them just a few minutes ago. </p>
<p>“No need to be. Just hope she’s all right,” Jamie looked over at the cabin door before turning to face Dani, taking in the way she was hunched into herself, anxiously twiddling her fingers in her lap as she seemed to look at <em>anything</em> but the brunette. “I’m uh...I’m sorry...about your dad,” green eyes turned to slits as she winced, suddenly feeling awkward herself. </p>
<p>“Thanks. I was just a kid, so...” Dani attempted a breath of light laughter, shaking her head as she finally looked back to the older girl. Jamie was always so trusting with her, opening up to her when she needed to talk about things that clearly bothered her. And Dani was always willing to listen without judgement. And while she trusted that Jamie would be the same type of person for her, she still felt bad unloading any of her personal traumas on her. </p>
<p>“I don’t think I was old enough to understand the concept of death...I think the stuff that happened after he died had more of an effect on me than anything,” she continued with a sigh, pulling her bottom lip tightly between her teeth. And the look on Jamie’s face, a look that told her that she was listening empathetically, it gave her a bit of courage to tell her things that she’d never told anyone. </p>
<p>“My mom took it the worst, I think. They were married for almost fifteen years,” she turned so her back was leaning against the railing, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, “But she never...never talked about it. We weren’t <em>allowed</em> to talk about him anymore in the house. It was like...she wanted to erase the memory of him?”</p>
<p>Jamie nodded, biting the inside of her cheek as she resisted the urge to move closer to her to offer the blonde some comfort. She wanted to, but the way Dani seemed to be physically closing herself off made her think that maybe touching her wasn’t the best idea at the moment.</p>
<p>“And soon enough she started finding solace in...drinking and...other men. Really creepy ones, too. Like the kinds you’d see hanging around a gas station because they have nothing better to do,” she at least had to laugh a little at that, still unable to believe how low her mom’s standards had dipped.</p>
<p>“I know the type,” Jamie snorted a light laugh, herself.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” a piece of loose thread in her shorts became Dani’s new distraction as she cast her eyes down to the hem, “But she just...she wasn’t herself anymore. It was scary, seeing her drunk all the time, inviting a new skeevy guy into our house every few weeks. Thankfully I had Eddie...my ex. He was my best friend before we dated. And his mom was the best.”</p>
<p>Judy really was the mother she always wanted. She invited her into their home, fed her, made her feel like part of their family. And as much as she loved them, Dani could never admit to herself that it was the comfort of that family that made her agree to date Eddie. It wasn’t just the pressure. It was the security; Knowing that she was safe with them and would always have them to turn to if she dated him like they wanted her to. And she tried her hardest not to think about the way Judy had looked so heartbroken when she told her that she was going to Vermont after breaking up with her son.</p>
<p>“Glad you had somebody,” Jamie’s voice made her head snap up. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been silently thinking to herself. But however long it was, it was enough time for tears to form in her eyes and slip down her cheeks. “That’s um...that’s kinda what Viola’s been for me.”</p>
<p>“You told me she’s an old friend of your dad’s,” Dani nodded, wiping the tears from her cheeks.</p>
<p>“Yeah. She wasn’t at first. When I met her, she was just Viola, the scary camp director with the loud voice,” she chuckled, “But...when my little brother...Mikey...when he died…”</p>
<p>Dani’s heart dropped in her chest.</p>
<p>“...My dad couldn’t really handle it, I guess. Grief, and all,” she licked her lips as she sat up a bit straighter, “Vi and Arthur took me and Denny in for a while. My mum had left a few years before it happened...and my dad threw himself into his work as a distraction, forgetting that he had two other kids to worry about.”</p>
<p>Shifting a bit closer, Dani reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers gently.</p>
<p>“Denny was thirteen when it happened. I was nine. Mikey was six,” Jamie continued, nibbling at her bottom lip as she looked down at Dani’s slim fingers linking with her own, “Just a few weeks before his first week here, actually. He was really fucking excited about it, too.”</p>
<p>The question of how it happened lingered on Dani’s lips. But she knew that regardless of how it happened, it happened. And seeing the tears that shined in Jamie’s eyes under the porch light felt like someone was taking her already broken heart and smashing it into even smaller pieces with a <em>really</em> big hammer.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, Jamie,” she whispered shakily, holding tight to her hand.</p>
<p>“S’all right,” the brunette shook her head, a bit of a smile forming on her face, “I think that’s why I keep coming back to work here, I guess. Aside from Vi expecting it of me. I just wanna be the kind of counselor that <em>he</em> would’ve loved, but for someone else, y’know? To be the cool older person that a kid can come to when they feel like shit and just wanna talk.”</p>
<p>Dani nodded her head quickly, desperate to let Jamie know that she understood. “That’s really sweet of you,” she breathed, shifting even closer, “To take something sad that’s personal to you and...flip it so it turns into something positive for someone else. Not that...not that it’s a positive thing. I just- I just mean, like y-you wanting to be there for the kids because you know what it’s like to need someone to talk to when you’re a kid and feeling like—“</p>
<p>“Poppins,” her nervous rambling stopped abruptly at the sound of Jamie’s voice, suddenly feeling stupid for going off on another tangent; Especially under the older girl’s amused gaze. “I know what you meant.”</p>
<p>“Right, I-I’m sorry,” she blushed furiously, shaking her head. But her worries were quickly melted away by the feeling of familiar lips on her own and warm hands on her cheeks. With her hands coming up to grip Jamie’s shoulders, she let out a breathy whimper and hum of appreciation against her lips, feeling closer to her now than she had before. </p>
<p>Jamie’s thumbs grazed against her warm cheeks, feeling the flushed skin under her touch. And Dani couldn’t help but shiver as the feeling of Jamie’s soft fingers, soft lips, soft <em>everything</em>, mixed with the cool summer night breeze. </p>
<p>Pulling back, the brunette breathed out against her lips, swallowing thickly as she caught her breath. “I should probably go,” she whispered, making no effort to do so. </p>
<p>“Mmhm,” Dani just hummed in agreement, also making no effort to pull away from her. Instead, she tugged at the unzipped edge of her hoodie, tugging her towards her for what she was intending to be one last kiss for the night. Though, who knew if either of them would have the willpower to let it be the last one? But faded and distant, the sound of conversation and laughter from counselors and a few kids making their way back from the fire pit forced them apart. </p>
<p>“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Dani sniffed a bit as they stood up, pulling her own hoodie a little tighter around her and trying not to let it show how disappointed she was to have to let Jamie go for the night. </p>
<p>Jamie just smiled and nodded, making her way down the short set of stairs while Dani remained at the top. “Breakfast. Then kickball,” she sent her a slight smirk, walking backwards so she could send a quiet, “Sweet dreams, Poppins,” up to the blonde before she turned to make her way down to her cabin. </p>
<p>And Dani just stood and watched her go, feeling those damn butterflies inside all over again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>next chapter is uhhhh...ahem. there might be a rating change. </p>
<p>on monday...yeah. see you then.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i changed the rating just in case </p>
<p>*NYOOM*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Wednesday August 8, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Two Weeks Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Hey,” Jamie knocked on the open door of the empty arts &amp; crafts room, smiling at the sight of Dani rushing around to get things cleaned up after their last activity block of the day.<p>“Hey!” the blonde greeted her with a big, cheery grin, “Sorry, it’s a mess in here. We’ve been sharing the room with the theater group so they can paint set pieces for the play.”</p>
<p>She wiped her hands off on her apron as she stepped carefully around the floor so she could greet Jamie with a kiss.  Her heart beat faster in her chest when she felt her smile into the kiss. It was nice knowing that Jamie really seemed to like her just as much. “Missed you,” she mumbled against her lips.</p>
<p>”Who <em>me?</em>” the older of the two looked playfully shocked when they separated, chuckling at the way Dani shoved her shoulder with an equally playful look of offense. But Jamie managed to catch her around the waist before she could walk away and get back to cleaning. “Missed you too,” she smirked, kissing her again, briefly this time, “Brought something for you.”</p>
<p>“I think I’m out of pots and vases,” Dani snorted, looking around at the window sills that were now covered in marigolds, carnations, and different wildflowers sitting in the colorful clay creations she’d found around the room. Getting new flowers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for over a month, the space filled up quickly.</p>
<p>“Shame,” Jamie sighed, pulling a fluffy pink dahlia from behind her back, twirling the stem between her fingers, “Gonna have to find someone else to give this to, then.”</p>
<p>“Oh wow, that’s gorgeous,” blue eyes widened at the flower as it was twirled between them, taking it into her own hands before smirking at the brunette, “No note this time?”</p>
<p>Jamie just breathed a short laugh through her nose, looking down at the dahlia before back up to her eyes. “Figured I’d ask you in person. Just so I can know that you’re okay with it.”</p>
<p>“Okay with what?”</p>
<p>Jamie was quiet, hesitant to let the idea slip from her lips, “Meeting me...at the beach tonight. After everyone’s asleep?” She sounded so nervous, which was something that Dani hardly ever heard from her. “You don’t have to, of course. That’s why I figured I’d ask. Just thought that with two weeks left of camp and you going off to school right after, we don’t have a lot of time left so I thought—“</p>
<p>“Jamie,” her name came from Dani through a hearty chuckle as a hand came up to cup her blushing cheek, stopping her rambling, “You’re starting to sound like me.” She watched with a warm fondness as Jamie just cleared her throat with an awkward, coughed chuckle of her own. “What time?”</p>
<p>“I thought maybe around midnight,” the brunette shrugged her shoulders, though, her face didn’t seem as nonchalant as her action. She still carried a tension in her features even as Dani gently stroked a soothing thumb across her jaw.</p>
<p>She thought hard about it for a moment. She’d been able to sneak away from the group before, but sneaking <em>out</em> was different. Especially in the middle of the night when she had literally no excuse for leaving the cabin. If Rebecca woke up, or one of the girls, she’d have to come up with something. </p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>“You sure? We don’t have to…”</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” Dani nodded, smiling as she bit her lip before leaning in to kiss her again. She couldn’t believe there were only two weeks left of this summer. “Oh! I have something for you too, actually,” she pulled out of Jamie’s arms to put the new flower into a vase with the others. With the sunlight that came through the windows, they were all doing pretty well. Even some of the ones she’d gotten a month ago on the 4th of July were still alive. </p>
<p>Once the dahlia was placed gently between a bundle of marigolds, Dani walked back to where Jamie was standing with her hands in her shorts pockets. Reaching into her apron, she pulled out a little bracelet, woven intricately with lavender and green colored threads and a few beads.</p>
<p>“I know it’s lame, but we were making them today,” she tucked her hair nervously behind her ear, “I know your favorite color is green. And mine’s lavender, so I thought this would, I dunno, make you...think of me? Even when I’m not around?”</p>
<p>Jamie ran her fingers over the woven design and smooth beads, feeling her heart clench tightly in her chest. She knew what Dani meant when she mentioned not being around. There were only two weeks left of camp, and this incredible summer would soon be a thing of the past. She would be off at school and Jamie would be...well, she didn’t know where she would be just yet. But it definitely wasn’t going to be in the same vicinity as the blonde like she’d grown so used to.</p>
<p>“It’s not lame, I love it,” she gave her as big of a grin as she could muster, trying not to think of what would become of the relationship they’d formed after the next two weeks passed, “Can you tie it for me?”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Jamie chuckled, “<em>You</em> made it, you think I’m not gonna wear it?”</p>
<p>Dani just giggled, blushing as she bit down on her lip, tying the threads around Jamie’s thin wrist, tying it tightly a few times to ensure that it stayed on. “There,” she smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist before pulling it over her shoulder to ease Jamie into a tight hug, breathing in deeply once she was tucked into the crook of her neck.</p>
<p>Jamie held onto her tighter than she’d held onto anything in a long, <em>long</em> time; Literally and figuratively. She had Hannah, Owen, Viola, Arthur, and the kids around here. But Dani was something different. Different, even, from Trish. What she had with Trish was based solely on physical attraction. And with Dani, it was so much more than that. They had a connection that neither of them could explain. But they could agree that it seemed like Dani coming to work at B.L.Y. was something that had been written in the stars. It was fate.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna miss you,” Dani breathed into her neck, clutching the fabric of the t-shirt at her sides in tight fists to keep her close. But Jamie pulled back, shaking her head with solemn eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t start that,” she attempted a chuckle, “Not now, okay? We’ve got two weeks.”</p>
<p>“Right...Two weeks,” the blonde nodded, composing herself with an uncertain smile.</p>
<p>Jamie took her hand, weaving their fingers together gently before kissing Dani’s knuckles. “We should head to dinner,” she sighed, “Don’t wanna miss whatever Owen’s cooking group made for all of us.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah, I forgot they’re in charge of dinner tonight.”</p>
<p>“If we’re lucky, it’ll be pizza,” Jamie chuckled, “Hard to mess that up or poison anyone.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>After checking her watch in the moonlight from the window, Dani picked her head up, looking over at Rebecca. She was sleeping with an eye mask and earplugs in as usual. And the sound of even breathing and gentle snores filled the cabin from the girls. It was getting close to midnight.<p>In the few minutes she had left before she had planned to leave, she turned onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if Jamie was already at the beach waiting. She’d never felt this way before; craving someone’s presence, constantly thinking about them and what they were doing, wondering if they were thinking about her too. It was new, and she liked it. She just wished they didn’t have to sneak around.</p>
<p>She tried her hardest not to think about what would happen when the next two weeks were over. She didn’t want to think about a world where Jamie wasn’t just on the opposite end of the camp, at the farthest. She knew that she would be close by. From what they’d talked about in the past, she didn’t have any plans to leave the Burlington area. But “close by” may as well have been a whole ocean away in comparison to having her just two cabins over every night. </p>
<p>Checking her watch again, she sighed quietly, slowly and quietly slipping the blanket off her body and sitting up. If she were in her bed at home, the noise from the springs would have woken up the whole cabin by now. But thankfully the mattress on the cot under her was stuffed with foam, and it didn’t make a sound. </p>
<p>Bare feet hit the wooden floor as she held her shoes and a hoodie in her hands, creeping towards the door. She’d gone to bed in her dark blue B.L.Y. sweatpants and a large t-shirt from high school, but she figured Jamie wouldn’t mind. It wasn’t like they were going on a fancy dinner date. </p>
<p>With a deep breath, she opened the door, praying that the tiny creak that the second screen door made didn’t wake anyone up. But by some miracle, she made it onto the porch without getting caught. She glanced around the surrounding area of the camp as she slid Keds onto her bare feet, taking off down the path once the coast was clear.</p>
<p>On her brisk walk, she wondered what was waiting for her down on the beach. If it were anything like 4th of July, it would be Jamie with a big blanket and pair of juice boxes. And if it were <em>really</em> like 4th of July, they’d end up laid out on the blanket, kissing like their lives depended on it. And honestly, that would be more than okay with her. </p>
<p>Once she reached the small staircase between where the trees lined the shore, she walked down the wooden steps that lead to the sandy beach, pulling her hoodie over her shoulders as she looked around for Jamie. If it weren’t for the sound of a zipper coming from somewhere down the moonlit beach, she probably wouldn’t have seen her at all. </p>
<p>With a wide grin, she made her way over; Apparently undetected as Jamie didn’t seem to acknowledge her presence as she laid the large blanket onto the sand. </p>
<p>“Hope you have a fruit punch juice box this time or I’m leaving,” she smirked, coming up right behind her and laughing a bit when she yelped with a flinch.</p>
<p>“Jesus, you scared me,” Jamie held a hand to her heart, a little breathless from the adrenaline.</p>
<p>The blonde’s laughter regressed to a few giggles as she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Jamie’s neck. “I told you I’d be here,” she gave her a warm smile, running her fingers through silky brown curls. And that smile only grew wider when she watched green eyes flick down to her lips, leaning in to take them in her own.</p>
<p>She hummed against Jamie’s lips, letting the sound fade into the kiss as hands went from her sides to wrapping tightly around her waist, tugging her impossibly close. Not that she minded at all. “So,” she pulled back for air, breathlessly giggling into Jamie’s neck as the brunette placed teasing kisses against hers, “About that juice box.”</p>
<p>She laughed a little harder when Jamie pulled back rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “You’re impossible, Poppins,” she snorted, turning around to sit on the blanket, kicking her shoes off to the edge as Dani did the same, “However, lucky for both you <em>and</em> me,” she let the end of the sentence trail off as she handed her a fruit punch box from her backpack, letting it speak for itself.</p>
<p>“You know I was just kidding about leaving,” Dani chuckled, taking the juice box from her anyway, already working on unwrapping the straw to poke it through the top. </p>
<p>Jamie did the same with her own drink, quirking a teasing eyebrow at her with a cheeky smirk, “Were you?”</p>
<p>“Of course I was,” she leaned back onto her hand as she sipped red liquid through the tiny straw.</p>
<p>Jamie just smirked and crossed her legs, leaning her elbows against the inside of her knees, “Well good,” she sighed dramatically, “I was starting to think you only liked me for my access to the juice boxes.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Dani pushed herself up from her leaning position and set her drink down on the blanket, “If I was attracted to juice box access, I think Owen would be the one I’d be after. He’s in the kitchen the most.” She couldn’t even say it with a straight face, but the grossed out look on Jamie’s sent her into a fit of laughter.</p>
<p>“Never…” Jamie couldn’t help but fall into uncontrollable laughter as well, playfully shoving Dani’s shoulders, “...<em>ever</em> mention being attracted to Owen in front of me again.”</p>
<p>The blonde laughed as Jamie seemed to shudder and recoil at the very idea of Owen being the one Dani was interested in. “<em>Jamieee</em>, come on, I’m kidding,” she laughed as she crossed the space the older girl was jokingly putting between them. She grabbed onto her before she could move any farther, grinning victoriously as she straddled her lap to pin her down so she couldn’t get away. </p>
<p>“I could never,” she looked down at her seriously despite the fading giggles that were still falling from her lips. Her face heated up a bit at the fact that she was sitting in a straddle on Jamie’s lap. And Jamie, while she was still recovering from laughing, had a look in her eyes that sent a delightful chill down her spine.</p>
<p>“And why’s that?” the brunette smirked and sat up a little straighter so her face was just a few inches from Dani’s, breathing in the fruity scent of her shampoo.</p>
<p>Biting her lip, the younger counselor just looked down at her lap, catching the woven bracelet on Jamie’s wrist in her peripheral vision. She reached for her hand where it rested on her hip and brought it up between them so she could fiddle with the bracelet, running her fingers over the beads and making sure it was still tied tightly.</p>
<p>“Well, for starters. I’m <em>pretty</em> positive that I don’t like boys. No matter how good they can cook,” she let out a puff of laughter, flicking her eyes between Jamie’s and the woven thread on her wrist, “And secondly...I think you know there’s only one person here I’m attracted to.”</p>
<p>Jamie wanted to be funny. She wanted to suggest that the one person had to be Lisa from cabin A or Kelly from Cabin C; Just to distract from the way her head was spinning at the feeling of Dani pressed against her lap, just a fruit punch scented breath away.</p>
<p>“Pretty lucky girl, then,” her voice dropped to nearly a whisper as every move of Dani’s fingers on her skin left a trail that felt like fire, keeping a bit of a smug grin on her face, “Hope she’s thanking her lucky stars every night that she’s the one you wanna spend your time with.”</p>
<p>Dani just nodded her head slowly, distractedly, still toying with the bracelet on Jamie’s wrist as her mind grew foggy. Her heart was starting to race in her chest and she felt like the slightest breeze would tip her over. The only thing she could focus on was the dull ache in her stomach. It wasn’t a new feeling. She’d felt it plenty of times before, but never this strong; Never like this.</p>
<p>But the lingering knowledge that they only had two weeks left came into her mind once again, shutting all other thoughts down. The longer she looked at the threads of lavender and green, the sadder she got; realizing that the summer, as they knew it, would be over in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Flicking her tongue over her pink lips, she lowered Jamie’s wrist down to her lap, suddenly solemn. “I really am gonna miss you,” she mumbled, feeling a lump rise in her throat.</p>
<p>“Dani…” Jamie brought her hands up to cup her face to stop her from shaking her head, blonde hair swinging behind her, “We have two weeks. Dani...hey…”</p>
<p>The girl in her lap stopped shaking her head, trembling a bit from the growing sadness building inside her alongside the pure arousal that had pooled in her stomach. “Jamie…” her whispered name sounded so <em>pained.</em></p>
<p>“Two weeks,” the brunette repeated, “That’s so much time, we...we just have to make the most of it, okay?” As reasonable as she tried to sound, she was feeling the same way. Who knew when or if she’d see Dani again after this summer? What was she supposed to do without this perfect person she’d grown so attached to? And the sight of her so broken, on the verge of tears over their inevitable separation, cracked Jamie’s heart clean in half; Slowly, so she could feel every rip and tear. “Baby, c’mere,” she mumbled, wrapping her arms around her to pull her in for an impenetrable hug.</p>
<p>Dani met her halfway, wrapping her arms around her so tightly that it would be impossible for someone to make her let go. A shiver ran through her at the name “baby” coming from Jamie’s mouth so softly. And knowing it was just for her made an involuntary whimper escape against her soft skin.</p>
<p>“It’s gonna be okay,” Jamie’s breath was hot against her neck and her hands were slow, soothing and reassuring against her back through her Riverwood High Seniors t-shirt. </p>
<p>She tried not to think about it, the end of the summer and having to say goodbye. Instead, she willed herself to think of tonight, right now, and what Jamie said about making the most of it. It hurt knowing that they kept saying ‘two weeks’ when it was really only ten days. A measly ten days. But she knew that they should be grateful that as of today, they had ten days left. Because tomorrow, they would have only nine. Eight the next day, and so on. </p>
<p>Pulling back a bit from the hug, she kept her arms around Jamie, not even hesitating to capture her lips in a searing kiss. She could feel her knees sinking into the sand through the blanket as she tried to press herself closer from her perch on Jamie’s lap. Her fingers buried themselves at the base of the curly brown tendrils that lined the base of her neck, scratching gently at her scalp.</p>
<p>The hum of approval that the brunette let out sent a shock straight through her, making her shiver as she dragged her tongue along the roof of her mouth. Three months ago, if someone had told Dani that she’d be spending her summer having a secret rendezvous with a <em>girl</em>, breaking rules, and falling for her harder than she ever thought possible, she would have laughed in their face and told them they needed an MRI.</p>
<p>And yet here she was, living, what she declared to be her best life. She’d never felt more free, even within the camp’s barriers.</p>
<p>Warm hands crept under her shirt, rubbing at her bare sides in a way that had her thinking she would pass out from getting so lightheaded. But she liked the feeling. So much so that she wanted to feel Jamie’s hands more; Everywhere she could. And she wanted to feel her too.</p>
<p>Pulling her hands back, she reached for the sleeves of her hoodie, tugging her arms out without ever breaking the feverish kiss between them. She tossed the hoodie to the side before putting her hands on Jamie’s shoulders, running them down her arms, following their path down to the hands that were grazing against her bare skin. She held onto the brunette’s hands with her own, guiding them around her skin as her mind quickly fogged up once more; Sadness slowly fading as the arousal took center stage once more. </p>
<p>“Jamie,” she breathed against her lips, pressing closer against her, and harder against her lap.</p>
<p>They pulled back for air, breathless and panting in the curves of each other’s necks, unable to keep themselves at any measure of distance. Dani’s dull, painted fingernails raked gently against Jamie’s forearms as she ran on instinct, lips, tongue, and teeth dragging all over the side of her neck.</p>
<p>Taking a breath, she turned her head out to the side, still tucked against Jamie’s neck, but now able to look out at their surroundings. It was outrageous to her that the lake was off limits at night. She understood why, obviously, but it was so much more gorgeous at night. Especially with the bright moonlight bouncing off the dark, rippling water and the stars twinkling in the clear sky. </p>
<p>“You okay?” Jamie whispered at the feeling of the heavy sigh that she felt course its way through Dani’s body, pulling back enough that the blonde had to pick her head up off her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Mmhm,” she nodded in response. But a smirk slowly grew on her swollen lips as a mischievous glimmer shined in her eyes. And before she could even process what she was doing, she was pressing a solid kiss to Jamie’s lips and standing up, taking her with her. “Come on.”</p>
<p>“What?” green eyes just looked at her curiously, lips just as swollen and cheeks just as flushed as her own. </p>
<p><em>“Come on,”</em> she repeated with emphasis, leaning in for one more kiss before linking their hands together and starting towards the dock. Jamie was quiet as they made their way from the shore to the sandy steps, and down the wooden dock that jutted out into the water.</p>
<p>“Dani...what are we doing?” she asked quietly, wondering what had come over her, but no less intrigued by whatever she had planned.</p>
<p>Turning to face her with her mind completely clouded by this newfound arousal, Dani just leaned up to kiss her slowly. Uncharacteristically slow, considering how their lips had been so fervently locked together just moments ago that they were probably bruised. </p>
<p>But she pulled away just as slowly as she leaned in, staring intensely into Jamie’s eyes and said five words that the brunette was sure would be the death of her:</p>
<p>“Making the most of it.”</p>
<p>The brunette heard an endless string of <em>“fuck”</em>s flowing through her mind as she watched Dani’s fingers work out the knot in the drawstring of her sweatpants, easing them down to her bare feet in slow motion. </p>
<p>Though her cheeks flushed and her hands trembled, Dani couldn’t even feel any sort of embarrassment like she thought she would in a moment like this. If anything, the look on Jamie’s face made her feel more confident. The way her darkened green eyes traveled up her bare legs and followed her hands as they slowly raised the oversized t-shirt over her head, leaving her bare in the light of the moon with the exception of a simple pair of underwear, honey colored waves falling across her shoulders.</p>
<p>Jamie felt her throat go dry at the sight in front of her. Dani, just about naked, with her pale skin covered in goosebumps from her neck, over the curve of her breasts, and down to her legs, and blue eyes staring back at her with a look that screamed, <em>“I know this is crazy, but I don’t care,”.</em></p>
<p>“Dani…” she breathed, wishing she had something to hold onto to keep her balance. But before she could say anything else, the blonde was pulling the last bit of clothing off, exposing herself entirely before diving into the water with a splash.</p>
<p>She didn’t know <em>what</em> the hell had come over Dani. How was the timid, nervous blonde in glittery hot pink jelly sandals the same girl who had just stripped off all her clothes right in front of her to jump in the lake for a midnight swim? She had <em>no</em> complaints, of course, but she had half a mind to check for traces of alcohol that may have gotten into Dani’s fruit punch.</p>
<p>Stepping around the discarded clothes to the edge of the dock, she watched as a head of blonde hair, darkened from water, re-emerged to the surface as Dani took in an audible gasp for air. The water was cold, Jamie had no doubt about it. But before she made any kind of move to go in, herself, she needed to make sure that the chilly water hadn’t sobered Dani up from whatever state of mind she’d been in before she jumped.</p>
<p>But instead, the younger counselor turned to face her up on the dock, wading in place with her arms out. “You coming?” she asked breathlessly, innocent blue eyes contradicting the delinquent smirk she held firmly on her lips.</p>
<p>“You’re insane,” Jamie just shook her head down at her. She was no stranger to any of it. The late night skinny dipping, the adrenaline rush that came with the possibility of getting caught, she’d done it all before. But Dani had never seemed the type. Especially not the type to be the ringleader of it all, calling the shots. But she watched as she just shrugged her shoulders, floating and swimming around in the surrounding water without a care in the world.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fuck it.</em>
</p>
<p>Dani caught sight of Jamie moving around in the corner of her eye, turning to face her as camp shorts were tugged down her slim legs and her t-shirt was pulled up over her head. She swallowed the lump in her throat as a furious blush came to her cheeks, watching each piece of clothing come off with a heart that threatened to come crashing out of her chest with nervous excitement. And before she knew it, the brunette had come splashing into the water just a few feet away, sending ripples and bubbles to tickle at Dani’s skin.</p>
<p>Resurfacing, Jamie gasped a bit at the cold, brushing her sodden curls back from her face as Dani swam over. “You’re <em>definitely</em> insane, Poppins,” she chuckled, shivering slightly from the chilled water. But with how her body had heated up with arousal, she knew that it would even itself out in no time. </p>
<p>“What happened to preaching about spontaneous moments that make life worth living?” the blonde giggled as she approached her with nothing but dark water separating them. </p>
<p>“Using my own words against me. Touché,” Jamie chuckled, remembering that first night of camp right after the food fight, how she’d told Dani that the kids needed to have more fun than they were sometimes <em>allowed</em> to have.</p>
<p>Dani just bit her lip as her smile grew, wasting no time in leaning into Jamie and pressing her cold, wet lips to her own. Legs kicked gently beneath them to keep them afloat as the blonde rested her hands on pale, goosebump-covered shoulders, lightheaded at just the feeling of Jamie’s bare skin under her touch.</p>
<p>Jamie, always gentle and respectful with her, kept her hands on Dani’s sides, not daring to touch any skin she hadn’t laid hands on before. Because even though she had a feeling where this was going, she didn’t want to ruin it by moving any faster than Dani was comfortable with. </p>
<p>“You can, y’know…” Dani mumbled against her lips, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek with cold fingers.</p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“T-touch me...You can touch me...i-if you want,” she pulled back, dilated blue eyes staring into Jamie’s green ones, confident but still a bit apprehensive. <em>There</em> she was. Jamie knew the shivering stammers weren’t from the cold, but from the anxiety of doing and saying something so foreign. </p>
<p>She nodded against her forehead, meeting her in the middle for another breathless kiss as her hands began to roam to territory that was unknown to her, but so familiar all the same. Her skin was slick from water and covered in goosebumps, but still as soft as every bit of her that Jamie had gotten the pleasure of feeling before. </p>
<p>Airy whimpers from Dani vibrated against her lips, mixing in Jamie’s ears with the sloshy sound of the water that surrounded them. Under the surface, her hands moved slowly, taking her time in memorizing the feeling of <em>Dani</em>. From her sides and back, dedicated fingers roamed to her stomach, hardly any distance from her own. Her heart felt fluttery and light as a few innocent, giggly pecks were placed to her lips with an absentminded murmur of how it tickled.</p>
<p>Breath hitched audibly in Dani’s throat as Jamie’s hands crept higher up her torso, toying with the thin skin around her rib cage until they reached the curve of her breast. Thumbs grazed tantalizingly slow over her nipples just centimeters under the water. She had never let anyone see her naked, and she definitely had never let anyone touch her like this. The feeling was new, but <em>so</em>, so good.</p>
<p>“Jamie...” she gasped with her forehead pressed to hers, breathless with her fingers linked tightly behind the older girl’s neck. </p>
<p>“This okay?” the brunette pulled back, stilling her hands; One still palming gently at her chest and the other at the small of her back. Dani nodded quickly as Jamie searched her heavily-lidded eyes for anything that would tell her that it actually <em>wasn’t</em> okay. But instead all she found were glimmers of hope and want shining in the dilated blue eyes she’d come to adore over the last two months. </p>
<p>“Okay,” she nodded back, catching her lips again. She could feel Dani’s hands trembling and twitching against her neck and shoulders, like she was resisting the urge to move them anywhere else. But smirking into the heated kiss, Jamie reached back for one of her hands, sliding it down her water-slicked skin to her own breast. And she could hardly contain the breath of laughter that left her lips at the sound Dani made as a result. </p>
<p>Licking wantonly into Jamie’s mouth, Dani just breathed deeply against her lips, letting herself get lost in something that she’d always been curious about and had always secretly wanted; Something she tried so hard to convince herself in the past that she didn’t and <em>couldn’t</em> want. She couldn’t believe that she’d repressed this feeling for so long, but part of her was glad she did, because it meant Jamie was the one to guide her through it. </p>
<p>A leg swam up between her own, making her let out a gasped cry when it brushed against her bare center. But the leg was gone as fast as it came, and Dani was left with the tickling feeling of tall seaweed against her feet.</p>
<p>“Have you…” Jamie breathed as she pulled back, putting both hands at Dani’s sides again, “Have you done...anything before…?”</p>
<p>The blonde swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, panting softly as she averted her eyes and shook her head. “I-I want to, though...if you want to,” her hands met at the back of Jamie’s neck again, feeling her hair starting to curl up again.</p>
<p>“I mean,” Jamie flicked her tongue over her lips as she thought, “Of course, I <em>want</em> to, but...Dani, we’re in a lake.” She chuckled a bit at the last part, shaking her head, noticing how the younger girl didn’t seem to laugh along with her. “I just mean...you deserve something special, y’know? You can’t get your first time back.”</p>
<p>Dani just shook her head with serious, albeit nervous, features on her face, like she was trying to prove that she <em>was</em> serious about this. “It’s with you,” she offered, bringing one of her hands to Jamie’s porcelain cheek, “That’s special.”</p>
<p>“I meant something romantic,” Jamie couldn’t help the low, nervous chuckle that came from her throat.</p>
<p>“<em>You’re</em> romantic,” Dani countered with a quirked eyebrow, almost challenging Jamie to try to find another reason for her not to want this. All the times Eddie let his hands wander, uncomfortable and awkward around her body over her clothes, made her think that she would <em>never</em> be ready for something like this. The very thought used to paralyze her with anxiety. </p>
<p>But she wanted it now. </p>
<p>Here. </p>
<p>With Jamie.</p>
<p>“You sure?” the brunette whispered through labored breaths, feeling like she was going to wake up from a cruel dream the second Dani said yes. </p>
<p>But Dani just nodded, leaning her forehead against hers again as she whispered, “I’m sure,” right back, hardly having any time to take her next breath before Jamie’s lips crashed to hers with a quiet, <em>‘thank fuck’.</em> </p>
<p>Quiet, needy whimpers were mewled into Jamie’s mouth and around her tongue as Dani felt herself getting shifted and waded backwards in the water. She wanted to open her eyes, ask what Jamie was doing, but the feeling of the wet wooden beam under the dock hitting her back gave her all the answers she needed. Her legs stopped kicking when she was able to feel the sand under her feet, putting the water at a perfect height just below her collarbone. </p>
<p>Their kisses became more fervent, more passionate as Jamie pressed her against the beam, letting her hands start to travel again now that they had a bit of leverage. “Tell me if...it’s too far...okay?” the brunette pulled back slightly, panting through her words.</p>
<p>“I will,” Dani nodded and tugged her back, wanting her as close as possible. The rippling water, their heavy breathing, and Dani’s feather-light whimpers of desire were all that filled the air around them. “Jamie,” she panted, feeling a smooth leg creep between her own again, hitting just the right spot that made her want to sob from the odd mix of tension and relief. </p>
<p>Pressing her own hips down, she wrapped her arms around Jamie’s neck with trembling breaths as the brunette guided her hips to rock against her thigh. “<em>God</em>, J-Jamie,” she gasped, digging her fingers into her shoulder as Jamie covered her jaw and neck with her lips.</p>
<p>“That good?” a raspy whisper in her ear nearly made her legs give out from underneath her. One person shouldn’t be able to do that to her with just two words.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah,” Dani nodded desperately, turning her head to catch Jamie’s lips again, missing the feeling of them on her own. And the way she could feel the way they curved up into a delighted smirk just spurred her on; To a point that she didn’t need Jamie’s guiding hands on her hips anymore. They were moving on their own, working towards that coveted release. </p>
<p>Jamie had one hand grazing the side of Dani’s ribs, raking her fingers over the pastel, water-slicked skin that she couldn’t get enough of. Meanwhile the other was slowly creeping along her inner thighs, snaking further towards the apex between them. And the pitiful whine that Dani cried out when she reached her destination was intoxicating to the brunette. She wanted to hear it again and again until she was numb to its effects.</p>
<p>With a gentle thumb, Jamie grazed the throbbing bud of her clit, eliciting another noise from her lips as her hips jerked at the touch. “Fuck,” she whispered, raspy and dazed against Dani’s mouth. </p>
<p>The blonde nearly cried at the feeling of cold water against her bare, heated center again when Jamie pulled her leg back. But it was replaced with the heel of her hand, rubbing firmly against her as skilled, slender fingers slipped between her folds. She gasped, pulling back from the slew of feverish kisses. And if it weren’t for the moan that came from deep in her chest and the way she leaned her head back against the beam, clearly enjoying it, Jamie would have stopped. </p>
<p>But instead, she pressed her lips to her exposed neck, sucking and licking around the sweet skin that was turning pink from how feverish Dani was becoming. Fingertips played around her entrance with teasing strokes, taking their time as she waited for some kind of sign that she was allowed to go further. </p>
<p>And like a sign from above, Dani pushed back against the wooden pole, using the way the water made her virtually weightless to lift herself up enough to wrap her legs around Jamie’s hips, pulling her in closer and locking her there. It took everything in the brunette not to chuckle and comment on how eager she was, not wanting to risk Dani getting too embarrassed at her own bold behavior to continue. Though, at this point, she was pretty sure that <em>nothing</em> was going to get between Dani and her release. </p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>, Jamie,” fell from Dani’s lips like a desperate prayer as she leaned her head down against hers, a little higher up than her now in this new position. She was breathless, ragged and needy as her hips rocked forward, wanting to feel more of those fingers that she <em>knew</em> would give her what she wanted. </p>
<p>Leaning up to kiss her a bit more slowly, Jamie just hummed against her lips, giving in to what she didn’t have to ask and slid one finger through her slick opening. It was hardly to the first knuckle, but Dani was already gasping and tightening her grip on Jamie’s neck, circling her tongue around hers.</p>
<p>“Still okay?” Jamie checked in quietly through her own panting, pulling back to catch sight of her blue eyes, usually so bright and wide, now blackened and lidded.</p>
<p>“Mmhm,” Dani hummed and nodded, taking a deep breath as she adjusted to the new sensation, “F-feels good, don’t stop, <em>please</em> don’t st—.”</p>
<p>Jamie just nodded back, foreheads pressed together as she eased herself in more and more by the second, capturing Dani’s desperate whimpers in the heated kisses between them. But those whimpers turned into much louder, shuddering cries when Jamie eased her finger out, back to the first knuckle, and in again, repeating the pattern slowly and diligently as the heel of her palm remained pressed to the bundle of nerves.</p>
<p>“J-Jamie,” Dani panted, hot breath mixing with the older girl’s, “More, p-ple-ease.”</p>
<p>Lightheaded with her own arousal, Jamie kissed her hard, swallowing her mewls of pleasure as she added a second finger, moving slower so Dani could adjust. But wanton and aching, the blonde jerked her hips even more, back, forth, up, down, anywhere she could to feel as much of Jamie as she possibly could. Determined fingers curled within her as Dani pressed herself closer, uncaring to the chilly air that met her wet chest when she would raise herself up higher.</p>
<p><em>“Fuck,”</em> fell from perfect pink lips as Dani felt herself getting closer to getting the relief she so desperately needed. Her head was swimming, and she was pretty sure she’d clawed her painted purple fingernails so deeply in the skin of Jamie’s shoulders that she drew blood. But she was so <em>needy</em>, she couldn’t bring herself to even open her eyes to check. </p>
<p>“I-I’m gonna...I th-think I’m…<em>Jamie</em>,” she breathed, her voice shuddering and ragged as her body was racked with quickly approaching euphoria. It felt like she was running down a hallway that just kept getting longer the farther she ran. She knew the door was at the end, but no matter how close to it she got, it kept getting farther away.</p>
<p>With Dani still balanced against the wooden beam, Jamie continued pressing, rubbing, curling into her with one hand while the other was grazing her thigh, cupping her breast, tugging gently at her neck to pull her in closer for anothing searing kiss. She could feel the way Dani’s body trembled in her arms as her movements became looser with each thrust of her hips. </p>
<p>“I’ve got you, baby, let it go for me,” she panted against her lips with one hand at her jaw. And that was all it took before Dani nodded her head, her jaw slacking with an almost pained cry as her body went rigid, stiffening in Jamie’s arms before going completely lax against her; Save for her sloppily jerking waist.</p>
<p>“That’s it, baby, there you go,” Jamie whispered soft words of encouragement, kissing the shell of her ear gently as she kept her fingers moving; Slower and slower with the rhythm of Dani’s movements as she rode out her high. The blonde’s hips eventually stopped moving, leaving her just a shaking, whimpering mess in Jamie’s arms, feeling like she couldn’t move even if she wanted to. </p>
<p>For a while, they just stayed in place, breathlessly pressed against the wooden beam with Dani wrapped so tightly around Jamie that she couldn’t even move her hand from between her thighs. But Jamie didn’t mind. If anything, she wanted to stay in this moment for as long as possible, knowing that soon enough she’d only get to briefly relive it in her head. </p>
<p>She kissed gently around whatever skin she could reach, whether it was Dani’s ear, her jaw, her neck or shoulder, anything she could find. Her free hand rubbed up and down the side of her thigh soothingly as she continued to shake against her. “You okay?” she whispered after a while, getting a little worried when her breathing seemed to even out. </p>
<p>But Dani nodded her head, humming out a quiet, “Mmhm,” into the crook of her neck in response before kissing the warm skin behind Jamie’s ear, getting the strength to pick her head up enough so she could kiss her properly. She felt so loose and floppy, like if she even tried to stand on her own feet, she would just topple over into the water. But it felt good. Better than she’d ever felt before, actually. </p>
<p>“We, uh...we should head back,” Jamie murmured after a while, pulling back enough to see the deep pink shade in her cheeks and swollen lips. </p>
<p>Dani’s eyebrows knit together as she shook her head, even though she didn’t have the energy to fight back against the way Jamie lowered her to her feet. “But...but y-you—“ she gasped when fingers slid out of her slowly, making her feel so empty, so suddenly. </p>
<p>“There’ll be other nights,” Jamie smirked, kissing the pout from her lips slowly, “Come on, I don’t want anyone to notice you’re gone.”</p>
<p>Sighing, Dani wrapped her arms around her neck once more, letting her pruney fingers tangle in damp brown curls as she pressed her lips firmly to Jamie’s. “Thank you,” she breathed against her lips, keeping her close as the water rippled around them. “Is that lame? To say thank you?” she pulled back suddenly, seeming more like her normal nervous self, “I didn’t mean thank you for...for <em>that</em>. I mean I <em>am</em> thankful for that, but I just meant thank you for everything up until now cause this has been—“</p>
<p>“You’re rambling again,” Jamie chuckled, shaking her head affectionately before she leaned in to kiss her cheek. “And you’re welcome,” she smirked, scrunching her nose up where it brushed with hers, “Come on.” She guided Dani towards the ladder that hung over the very edge of the dock, helping ease her up and out of the water first before following. </p>
<p>“God, it’s freezing,” the blonde shivered, pulling her clothes back onto her soaking wet skin, not really helping her chill that much. </p>
<p>“Wasn’t really planning on <em>that</em> happening,” Jamie chuckled, turning to her after her had her clothes back on, “Woulda brought towels.” She watched Dani’s face flush under the moonlight as she laughed quietly, reaching for her hand so they could make the short trip back to their little set up on the beach.</p>
<p>Aside from the rules and restrictions, the fact that they had to fight for privacy was one of the worst things about forming a relationship like this at a summer camp. Jamie would have loved to take Dani back to her cabin, crawl into her cot with her and keep her warm as she slept, but she couldn’t. At least it wasn’t restricted to just them. <em>None</em> of the counselors could do that. But the other counselors wouldn’t face the same personal repercussions if anyone caught them.</p>
<p>Once the forgotten juice boxes were thrown away and the blanket was packed up into Jamie’s backpack once more, Dani smiled a bit dreamily at the brunette, leaning in for another kiss that Jamie just couldn’t say no to even if she wanted to. And as much as they both wanted to stay where they were, they knew they had to get back into their beds.</p>
<p>“See you at breakfast?” Dani bit her lip, blue eyes gleaming as they stopped in front of Cabin B, not even surprised that Jamie had kept walking right past Cabin D to escort her home. Surprised or not, she still felt her heart flutter at the gesture. </p>
<p>“Bright and early as usual,” she nodded back, leaving her reeling with one last lingering kiss before stepping back, “Sweet dreams, Poppins.”</p>
<p>And just like that, the most amazing night either of them had ever experienced was over.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i haven’t written smut in like two years i’m so sorry goodbye</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you’re all too nice to me but glad to hear the sm*t wasn’t god awful fjdjdkks so thanks?? ilysm</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The pink tint in her cheeks was never going to go away, she was sure of it. There was no way. Sure, some of it was from going skinny dipping in a cold lake in the middle of the night (thankfully the infirmary had all the cold medicine she needed). But the rest of it was a direct result of the way Jamie was looking at her from across the mess hall. </p>
<p>Every now and then, Dani would glance up and catch Jamie’s eyes and that <em>look</em> would form on her face. Along with a pink nose of her own, Jamie’s lips would curl into this <em>smile</em> that made Dani’s heart race faster and faster each time she saw it. It wasn’t a smirk. She’d been expecting a smug grin that just screamed, <em>”I’ve seen you naked, and I know what you look like when you come.”</em> </p>
<p>But it wasn’t. It was a smile, warm and gentle, that seemed to say, <em>”I really like you, and I’m so lucky you picked me,”</em> instead. And through her smitten blushing, Dani would send the same look right back at her. </p>
<p>But despite spending all of breakfast sniffling and distracted, the day did seem to already be dragging on. It had started raining just after breakfast started, which meant another day indoors. Viola had decided to split the campers up by cabins so that half would go to the gym for indoor play and the other half would go to the auditorium for a movie before they reconvened again for lunch. And lucky for Dani and Jamie, their cabins were sent to the auditorium for a movie for the first shift. </p>
<p>“Go wash your hands and head to the auditorium, okay?” Dani directed the girls from her cabin with a grin as they chattered about what they hoped the movie was. Rebecca, who had been lacking any kind of communication or eye contact with her all morning, just got out of her seat and slung her backpack over her shoulder before walking over to Peter’s table with a blank face. But Jamie’s voice telling her not to let Rebecca get under her skin rang in her ears, making it a little easier to ignore her odd behavior as she focused on her job. </p>
<p>“How much you wanna bet the movie’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” a familiar raspy voice came up beside her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.</p>
<p>“Something tells me you already <em>know</em> that’s what the movie is,” Dani chuckled and leaned against the wall after she’d sent her girls into the communal bathroom, watching as Hannah did the same with the girls from her and Jamie’s cabin. </p>
<p>“Maybe I do,” the brunette shrugged, leaning her back against the wall right beside her.</p>
<p>“It’s Viola’s go-to movie, don’t make any bets with this one,” Hannah chuckled, overhearing their conversation, “The kids like it better than The Apple Dumpling Gang.”</p>
<p>“Those are the only two projection reels Vi’s got,” Jamie further explained to the blonde who was glancing amusedly between them, “I could probably quote Willy Wonka backwards after all these years.”</p>
<p>Hannah just leaned down a bit, closer to Dani’s ear, “Don’t take any bets on that either, she’s probably right.”</p>
<p>“Oh come on, Han, you gotta let me have <em>some</em> fun.”</p>
<p>“Not by gambling. Not after last summer.”</p>
<p>Dani just chuckled, “Do I wanna know what happened last summer?”</p>
<p>“Knowing how to play poker is a valuable life skill!” Jamie laughed as she defended herself.</p>
<p>“Not for twelve year olds, dear,” Hannah shook her head, rolling her eyes with an amused grin.</p>
<p>“You taught your twelve year olds how to play poker??” Dani’s mouth gaped at the brunette through the smile that tugged at her lips, “What did you even bet?”</p>
<p>“Dumb stuff,” Jamie shrugged, “A few coins, nail polish...lanyards and shit.”</p>
<p>“Language, Jamie.”</p>
<p>“They’re in the bathroom, Hannah.”</p>
<p>The blonde just laughed at the banter between the two women. It was obvious that they’d been friends for a while. She was glad that Jamie had Hannah and Owen even after everything. They were good ones to keep around. </p>
<p>Once the girls started to file out of the bathroom, the four cabins worth of kids (B and D girls, A and C boys) made their way to the auditorium, spreading out on the wooden benches that filled the room.</p>
<p>“Can I go sit with Miles?” Flora looked up at Dani with a hopeful grin, delightly running to her brother when the blonde gave her the okay. </p>
<p>She took a seat in the back of the auditorium, knowing that she could keep a better eye on the kids from the back row than somewhere near the front. With a quiet sniffle from her red nose, she leaned against the back of the bench, distractedly picking at her nail polish while Jamie helped Viola get the projector set up. </p>
<p>She tried not to get her hopes up too high that the brunette would come to sit with her. Hannah was sitting in the next row over. The other counselors were scattered throughout. Plus, maybe it was better if they didn’t sit together. Now that Dani knew just how irresponsible and reckless she could get when it came to Jamie, sitting together in the back of a dark room probably wasn’t the best idea. </p>
<p>“This seat taken?” </p>
<p>Figures Jamie would appear just when Dani was starting to get comfortable with the idea of sitting alone.</p>
<p>“Mm-mm,” the younger girl pressed her lips into a tight-lipped smile and shook her head, watching as Jamie sat down beside her on the bench. They hadn’t been alone since last night. They still weren’t alone, but this was the <em>most</em> alone they’d been since Jamie dropped her off at her cabin. And now, without anything to say, Dani felt so insecure, still picking the purple coating from her nails. </p>
<p>Suddenly she was <em>very</em> aware of what they’d done last night.</p>
<p>“Poppins...you all right?”</p>
<p>The genuine concern in her voice made Dani shudder. Not that she didn’t like it, but she was quickly realizing that she was way in over her head with how attached she’d grown to Jamie. And the thought of that wasn’t something she was processing easily. Especially not in her presence. </p>
<p>“I-I’m fine,” she nodded, “Just cold. I think I’m gonna go get my sweatshirt once the movie starts.”</p>
<p>“Well, here, you can have—“ Jamie started, already working her arms out of the sleeves of her own so she could give it to her.</p>
<p>But Dani shook her head as she stood up quickly, “No, cause then you’ll be cold. I’ll just be right back,” she slid out of the bench row before Jamie could say anything else, making her way out of the auditorium with anxiously clenched fists at her sides. And she didn’t stop until she was outside and under the canopy, breathing in the smell of summer rain in the humid air. </p>
<p>“What the hell was that, Dani?” she ran a hand through her hair, whispering to herself breathlessly. It was just Jamie. Jamie, who never had any intention of hurting her and still didn’t. Jamie, who was just concerned about how distant and distracted she seemed all of a sudden. Jamie, who, despite having a little head cold of her own from last night, was willing to give up her sweatshirt just so Dani would be warm. </p>
<p><em>That</em> was the problem. Jamie was this selfless, caring, amazing person, regardless of how she presented herself to anyone else. Dani was one of the few lucky ones who got to know the <em>real</em> Jamie. And for some reason now, she couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of ruining it; Of her becoming just another person that ended up leaving Jamie’s life for one reason or another.</p>
<p>
  <em>Stop it. <strong>Stop.</strong></em>
</p>
<p>She squeezed her temples under her fists with tightly closed eyes, begging herself to stop overthinking. She always overthought everything and she was tired of it. For once, she just wanted to <em>not</em> be in her own head. Whatever had come over her last night, that feeling of complete freedom to do whatever the hell she wanted to without fear, she wanted <em>that</em> back. </p>
<p>With a deep breath, she cleared her throat and stepped off the wooden deck of the main building, walking briskly through the grass. It wasn’t pouring, thankfully, but it was rainy enough to cover the bottoms of her sneakers with mud and flatten her hair. Plus, it served as a nice distraction from her racing thoughts; Counting as many drops of water on her skin as she could. The cabins weren’t too far of a walk. And when she approached hers, she climbed the wooden steps and wiped her feet on the mat before going in. </p>
<p>“Oh! Sorry,” she gasped when she was faced with Rebecca, reclining against the wall with a magazine resting on her bent knee as she sat in her bed, “I thought you’d be—“</p>
<p>“Nope. I’m here,” Rebecca’s voice was light, but dripping with disdain. It was new. At first if Rebecca wasn’t avoiding her, at least she would be civil when they talked. But now, it seemed like everything that came out of her mouth was bitterly sarcastic. “Should I be expecting Jamie to show up any minute now, too?”</p>
<p>Eyebrows raised a bit in surprise as Dani wrung her hands nervously, “N-no, why would you—“</p>
<p>“Oh, cut the shit, Dani,” the older girl snapped, putting the magazine down to glare at the blonde in the doorway, “You think I don’t know what’s been going on between you two?”</p>
<p>“I...I don’t...um…”</p>
<p>“Enjoy your swim last night?”</p>
<p>Blue eyes widened as her mouth gaped, panic coursing through her veins as she willed herself not to run away from the conversation. How did she know? She couldn’t have seen them, could she? </p>
<p>“I’m not stupid. Never mind the fact that you and Jamie seem to be the only ones who seem to have the sniffles this morning, or that you’ve been disappearing more and more lately...But I was awake when you came back into the cabin last night.”</p>
<p>“We just...we went swimming,” she shrugged, feeling ridiculous for being so meek and mild mannered, “That’s all.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sure that’s all,” Rebecca replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes, “Are you trying to get yourself fired?”</p>
<p>The possibility of being fired so close to camp being over struck a nerve in Dani; so sharp that she had to hold onto the nearest bunk bed to keep steady on her feet. But then she thought of Jamie, and how, years ago, Rebecca had caused her to lose someone close to her. She wasn’t going to be that person. And she was sick of being afraid of the <em>”what if”</em>’s. </p>
<p>“Like…” she started, feeling a fire start to ignite in her, “...Like Trish did?” her voice was quiet as she dared to speak and began to defend herself.</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>“Trish,” she repeated, “The girl you said got fired for sneaking around with Jamie two summers ago.”</p>
<p>Rebecca’s face was scrunched up in thought before she shrugged her shoulders. “I guess. I don’t remember her name.”</p>
<p>“It was Trish. And she wasn’t fired. She quit,” Dani stepped a little closer, heart racing with adrenaline; faster and faster with each small step, “She quit because you found out about her and Jamie. And you told everyone...Didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“Maybe I did. I think the other girls, especially, deserved to know.”</p>
<p>“Why? So they knew that there was another <em>lesbian</em> around them?” that word had never fallen from her lips before. She didn’t know where this energy to fight back was coming from, but it was working for her. And the look on the other girl’s face when she put so much emphasis on the word was priceless. “So they knew who <em>not</em> to hang out with?”</p>
<p>“I mean—“</p>
<p>“What happened to you, Rebecca? I haven’t known you for very long, but Jamie has. You were her best friend for <em>years</em>. And you gave that up for what? A <em>guy?</em> A guy who doesn’t even truly appreciate you?”</p>
<p>“He appreciates—“</p>
<p>“No, he cheated on you with two other counselors. At <em>least.</em> And you know it. Jamie told me everything. And <em>still</em>, three years later, when you’re not looking, he’s flirting with the other girls here. You gave up a friend like Jamie...outed her and cast her aside like she was nothing...for <em>that?</em>”</p>
<p>The older counselor just stared back at her, stony faced and dark eyed; speechless.</p>
<p>“I’m not like you. In <em>so</em> many ways, I’m not like you,” Dani continued, feeling like she finally had the upper hand, “Jamie is <em>such</em> a good person. You know she’s rough around the edges because of all the shit she’s been through. I know you know about all of it. And you decided to give her up because...what? Because you were too wrapped up with Peter to see that she was just trying to protect you? Because she valued your friendship?”</p>
<p>She was met with silence as Rebecca looked down at the magazine in her lap. Meanwhile Dani pursed her lips and sighed before going to her trunk. “I’m not like you,” she repeated as she grabbed a clean pullover sweatshirt and her umbrella, “And I’m not like Trish either. So...tell everyone if you want. Whether I get fired or not, it’s not gonna keep me from her. Even if it’s just as her friend. So whatever sadistic revenge plan you seem to have going on...trying to keep her from being happy just because you’re miserable with Peter...it’s not gonna work.”</p>
<p>Standing back up, Dani closed her trunk and pulled her grey B.L.Y. sweatshirt over her head, pulling her hair out from underneath as she made her way back to the door with a quiet, “See you at lunch,” falling from her lips before the door was slammed behind her.</p>
<p>She didn’t stop to catch her breath. She just popped open her umbrella and kept moving, walking briskly across the field back towards the main building as her chin wobbled and tears threatened to spill. But she swallowed them down and kept moving, trying to convince herself that what she’d just done was a good thing. She defended Jamie, and she stood up for herself. But with the way her body was reacting to it all, it felt like <em>anything</em> but a good thing. </p>
<p>With a foggy head, she closed her umbrella once she got up to the deck, tossing it carelessly aside and making a thoughtless path back to the auditorium. She paid no attention to her squeaking shoes on the mess hall floors, or the way she was still shivering from the chill. All she could focus on was the path in front of her and the rapid beating of her heart. </p>
<p>She opened the auditorium door quietly, managing to sneak in through the back while the kids and other staff members were distracted by the movie. Using the light from the screen, she crept towards the back row bench she’d been sitting in before, taking a deep breath as she approached Jamie.</p>
<p>“Hey, you all right?” the brunette whispered and looked up at her when she noticed her standing right beside the bench, typical deep concern in her eyes.</p>
<p>Dani just nodded breathlessly, bending down a little to reach for her hand, whispering, “Come with me,” as she tugged her arm a bit to get her to stand up. </p>
<p>Confused, but willing, Jamie looked around, making sure everyone was distracted by the sad song Charlie’s mom was singing on the screen before standing up and letting Dani drag her out of the auditorium.</p>
<p>“Dani, what’s going on?” the brunette’s eyebrows creased with worry as she took in the way Dani’s hand shook in her own. But she could only stare at the back of her damp hair, waiting for an explanation. And the explanation didn’t seem close by, even when she was being tugged into the supply room with the door closed behind them. Only then did Dani let go of her hand, pacing the small room with one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, out of breath and red in the face.</p>
<p>“Dani…” she tried again, stepping closer, “Baby, what’s wrong?”</p>
<p>The blonde’s face practically twisted at the little term of endearment, nose scrunching and eyes squeezing tightly as she shook her head, taking in shaky breaths. “Jamie...” she breathed, ragged and broken. Opening her eyes, her bleary vision cleared just enough to see the worry on Jamie’s face. Jamie, who was perfect to her, regardless of the flaws everyone else saw.</p>
<p>Crossing the space between them, she took that worried face in her hands and kissed her with every bit of energy she had, whimpering against her lips as she let the feeling of <em>Jamie</em> wash over her. </p>
<p>The older girl, still confused, kissed her back anyway, fingers tangling in blonde hair as Dani’s force pushed her back against the door. The kiss was different. Even last night, Dani hadn’t kissed her like this. Not that Jamie minded, but it didn’t put her worries at ease. </p>
<p>A quivering hand came off her face and slid down her side, reaching behind her for the light switch and the lock on the door. And suddenly, Jamie could only feel her, hear her strained whimpers of want, and taste the lingering maple syrup on her tongue. “Dani, what—“</p>
<p>“Show me,” Dani pulled back to breathe. Jamie could feel the light puffs of breath on her face, “Show me how to...make you feel good.” Dani was glad that the lights were off in the windowless room. The inevitable concern in those green eyes was sure to break her. But she was pretty certain that Jamie could <em>hear</em> the tears in her own eyes at this point. “I wanna make you feel good too, Jamie, you <em>deserve</em> to feel good, <em>please</em>. Please, Jamie—“ her voice was frantic, like her entire being needed it to survive.</p>
<p>“Shh, okay,” Dani could feel her nod against her forehead as warm hands came to cup her cheeks, eliciting breathless noises of relief from her throat, “Okay...” Jamie was still confused. No less willing, but still concerned. Whatever had happened between Dani leaving the auditorium and coming back must have hit her hard. </p>
<p>She tried not to think about the fact that Rebecca was absent from the auditorium, thinking that she may have had something to do with this. But she pushed that thought to the back of her mind as she reached back to double check that the door was locked, taking one of Dani’s hands in her own. </p>
<p>Kissing the warm skin of her palm, she held tightly to Dani’s fingers, attempting to calm her down before anything. She could just barely make out the freckles on her face with the light that crept from under the door, but even in the dim light, she could see the shine in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p>Dani just nodded eagerly, whispering a breathy, “Please, Jamie,” into the darkness, flicking her tongue over her lips as she waited for the older girl to lead the way.</p>
<p>The last thing Jamie wanted this to be was something that Dani would regret. Like the night before, she tried to hold off, not wanting Dani to look back ten years from now and cringe at her first time being in a lake at a summer camp. And while this wouldn’t be her first time, it was still in a supply closet. And while she was no stranger to it, she thought Dani deserved better. But the blonde seemed so <em>determined</em> for whatever reason, not to receive, but to give; Something Jamie wasn’t used to. </p>
<p>But she nodded her head and leaned in to kiss her slowly, swallowing the airy hums that Dani released at the mere contact before guiding her hand to the drawstring of her track pants.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Sunday August 12, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>One Week Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>The next few days were better. After what happened in the supply room, Dani had calmed down enough to tell Jamie all about what Rebecca had said to her in their cabin. She explained just how she felt (somehow managing to put it into words), just how angry Rebecca made her.<p>The way that the older counselor could just sit there, knowing what she did and how she made Jamie feel, and act like it was nothing...it set Dani off completely. And as a result, she wanted nothing but to fill the brunette with the same euphoric feeling that she’d gotten that night at the lake, like her own way of replacing all the bad with something good.</p>
<p><em>”Sorry for jumping you earlier. I dunno what came over me. That keeps happening,”</em> Dani had chuckled quietly after lunch as they stood together on the sidelines of a hula hooping competition in the gym.</p>
<p><em>“No complaints from me,”</em> Jamie had snorted a light laugh back, gazing briefly over at the blonde, <em>“But I’m glad you feel a little better. You had me worried, there, Poppins.”</em></p>
<p>It was the beginning of the week. The <em>last</em> week. And even if Dani wanted to dwell on what would become of her and Jamie’s relationship after the week was over, she couldn’t. It was going to be a week of chaos, according to the other counselors. With the talent show, the play, and getting everyone ready to pack up and leave for the summer, everyone’s schedules were thrown off. </p>
<p>Dani glanced over her own schedule for the week after picking it up from Viola’s office, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion at the blank slot in her Tuesday afternoon. She checked the whiteboard schedule to make sure it wasn’t a misprint, only to find that it was the same. And Jamie had the same blank slot at the same time. But glancing around the board more, she noticed that just about everyone had a blank slot at some point in the week.</p>
<p>Watching as the other counselors left the main office area, she bit her lip, looking towards Viola’s door, slightly ajar with signs of movement behind it. Probably better to ask Viola than any of the counselors that were in the room with her. Especially since they’d all been <em>coincidentally</em> avoiding her for a few days, now. So, with a clearing of her throat, she stepped towards Viola’s office, knocking gently on the wooden door.</p>
<p>“Mrs. Lloyd, I just had a question about my schedule,” she let out a bit of a nervous breath through her polite smile, “I don’t mean to interrupt.”</p>
<p>“Honey, you can call me Viola, I’ve known you all summer,” the dark-haired woman chuckled and sat down in her chair, “And it’s no interruption at all, I was just getting a head start on packing up.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” the blonde nodded, stepping further into the office and taking a seat at Viola’s gestured request, “I was just wondering what the blank space is for…?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s your afternoon off. I try to give all the staff a few hours off during the last week. Just for them to do whatever they want as a thank you for all their hard work. Most of the counselors drive into the city, just to get back to civilization for a little while after being cooped up in the woods for so long,” she chuckled at the last part, taking a sip from her water bottle.</p>
<p>Dani nodded, glancing down at her paper schedule again, biting the inside of her cheek.</p>
<p>“I put you and Jamie at the same time, right?” Viola sat up straighter, going to look at her own copy of everyone’s schedules with furrowed brows.</p>
<p>“I-I think so…” Dani watched her skim her clipboard, not daring to ask how she knew to give them time off together.</p>
<p>“Okay good, I did. Jamie said she wanted to show you around Burlington,” the older woman leaned back in her desk chair with a small grin, “Thank you for being there for her this summer.”</p>
<p>Blue eyes, wide with worry, flicked up to meet hers as Dani’s jaw slacked a bit, unsure of what to say. And worse, unsure of how much Viola knew.</p>
<p>“Aside from that first day, she’s been on her best behavior for a record amount of time. Not that Jamie’s best behavior is <em>the</em> best behavior, but…” Viola snorted a light laugh, “I haven’t seen that girl smile the way she has been in a long time. Not since she was a kid. So, thank you, Dani.”</p>
<p>The blush that crept up to her cheeks was intense. Something about this woman’s body language told Dani that she <em>knew</em>. Maybe (hopefully) not the details, but Dani could tell that Viola knew something. “I, um...it’s no big deal,” she shrugged, not succeeding in being nonchalant, “She’s been really nice to me.”</p>
<p>“She’s a piece of work, but she means well,” Viola nodded, “She said that she told you about her brothers and her mom. I don’t think she’s ever told anyone that stuff before. Then again, a lot of people from around here already know. But still, she’s not the type to open up to anyone and be vulnerable like that. You must be something special to her.”</p>
<p>“She told you?” Dani bit her lip, trying to control just how hard she was biting down.</p>
<p>“Believe it or not, she actually talks to me every now and then,” she nodded again, chuckling, “She’s basically my second daughter. Isabel’s all grown up now, so…”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m glad she has you,” the blonde gave her a warm smile.</p>
<p>“Hey, I’m glad she has <em>you</em>. I really hope you girls keep in touch after the summer’s over. I would hate for her to lose such a good friend.”</p>
<p>Okay, maybe she didn’t know <em>everything</em>. Dani found it a little easier to breathe after that. </p>
<p>“But anyway, I should get going. I need to go double check that the laundry is getting done on schedule. Enjoy your time off on Tuesday,” Viola grinned as she and Dani both stood up, “And let me know if you feel like coming back next summer, I’m sure the kids would love to see you again.”</p>
<p>Dani just grinned, promising to keep in touch to let her know before stepping out of the office. She wasn’t really able to place how she felt after that little meeting. She felt...good? But not the kind of good that had her smiling like an idiot on the walk back to her cabin. But whatever it was, she felt good regardless. </p>
<p>After dropping her schedule off at her bunk, pinning it to the bulletin board over her cot, the blonde headed out towards the field, looking around for Jamie. And the idiotic smile finally came to her face when she saw her pushing the Crain twins on the swings with each of her hands.</p>
<p>“Her name’s <em>Dani</em>, not Poppins,” she heard Nellie tell Jamie over her shoulder once she was close enough to hear their conversation. </p>
<p>“I dunno, she looks like a ‘Poppins’ to me,” Jamie smirked in Dani’s direction as she walked up to them.</p>
<p>“Dani, tell her your name isn’t ‘Poppins’,” Nellie giggled as she continued to swing back and forth with Jamie’s help.</p>
<p>The blonde just chuckled, leaning against the metal pole of the swingset, her ears turning pink under Jamie’s gaze. “What if it is? How do you know ‘Dani’ isn’t just my nickname?” she quirked an eyebrow at the younger twin with a playful smirk of her own. </p>
<p>“‘Dani’ is short for ‘Daniel’,” Luke laughed, “Just like my name is short for Lucas and Nellie’s is short for Eleanor!”</p>
<p>“Oi, hear that, Poppins? The nickname police say I gotta start calling you Daniel,” Jamie chuckled, retracting her arms back to her sides so the swings would slow down to a stop.</p>
<p>“Come on, let’s go tell everyone her name’s not really Dani,” Nellie jumped off the swing, grabbing her brother’s hand and running off.</p>
<p>Jamie, with her hands on her hips, stepped around the chain of the swing to approach the blonde with a sigh, “Hope that doesn’t catch on. Kinda liked being the only one who knew your real name,” she teased, laughing when Dani shoved her shoulder.</p>
<p>“I saw the new schedule,” she smiled and leaned back against the metal pole, fidgeting with her fingers as she looked at the foot of space on the ground between her and the brunette, “Viola said you wanted to show me around the city?”</p>
<p>“Leave it to Vi to ruin a surprise,” the older girl rolled her eyes before leaning against the opposite pole, “But yeah. Figured I’d show you what places to avoid while you’re at school.”</p>
<p>With a small but warm smile, Dani just nodded before Jamie continued.</p>
<p>“But dress comfortably. Wear thick socks. Don’t need you coming back with blisters.”</p>
<p>“From what?”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’ll see.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>see ya friday!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Tuesday August 14, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Five Days Left Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Do I get to know where we’re going yet?”<p>“Ask again and I’m turning this truck around,” the brunette chuckled, gently hitting her palm against the steering wheel of the old pick-up, “When have I ever steered you wrong?”</p>
<p>“In the ten weeks I’ve known you?” Dani quirked an eyebrow at her from the passenger seat, “Well...never.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.”</p>
<p>The blonde just shook her head with a laugh, watching the road as Jamie pulled onto the highway. Every glance over at her, Dani couldn’t help but bite her lip shyly, feeling like she was seeing a new side of Jamie. It wasn’t even like she was dressed outrageously different than what Dani was used to seeing her in. The short denim shorts were nothing new. Topped with a Blondie t-shirt and a dark scrunchie in her hair, Jamie didn’t appear any different. But she <em>felt</em> different. They were outside of the camp’s boundaries. They weren’t just co-counselors with a secret fling. Out here they could be anything. </p>
<p>Once they reached the city limits, Jamie drove around downtown, pointing out different cafes that had good coffee (and tea, which she preferred), nightclubs and bars that she’d snuck into as a rebellious high schooler, and record shops that were quickly (and unfortunately) becoming less about records and more about cassette tapes.</p>
<p>With every piece of information about different businesses around the downtown area, Dani found that she was much more interested in learning about Jamie through them. Each place had a story that made Jamie laugh, or get so excited and passionate that her smile would spread to her ears. </p>
<p>Weeks from now, Dani may not remember the details about the thrift shop on Main Street, but she would remember the way Jamie’s eyes lit up when she talked about finding the very Blondie shirt she was wearing now.</p>
<p>“That’s where you’ll be, then?” the brunette nodded towards Dani’s open window, gesturing to the large campus they were passing on the outskirts of the downtown area. </p>
<p>“Yep,” she glanced out the window, brushing wind-blown strands from her face, “Glad they give us a week to get used to it before classes start. I think it’s gonna take me all semester to learn my way around.” It certainly was different from her small town high school with only 500 students between the 9th and 12th grade. </p>
<p>“Nah, you’ll get on fine. I know you will,” Jamie had a warm smile just for her when she turned back to face her, a few curly brown tendrils hanging in her face from where they’d slipped out of her ponytail. </p>
<p>“That’s not the surprise, is it?” Dani teased, reaching across to poke her side, “A campus tour?”</p>
<p>The older counselor just laughed and shook her head, “Firstly, how would I even know my way around that place? And second,” she reached over to poke Dani back, “I said we were doing something <em>fun</em>. A campus tour sounds like the opposite of fun to me.”</p>
<p>“Come on, just tell me!” Dani whined through her laughter, sounding like she was close to throwing a tantrum.</p>
<p>“We’re almost there, you sound like the brats,” Jamie reached over the center console again to poke and tickle at her side through the striped purple t-shirt that was tucked into her own pair of cuffed denim shorts, only letting up after a few pleas for mercy.</p>
<p>After a few more notable sights and locations, Jamie flipped the switch to turn on her directional, pulling into a moderately full parking lot and finding a spot. Blue eyes squinted through the sunlight that was still piercing through her tinted sunglasses, reading the sign. </p>
<p>
  <em>Roller Kingdom</em>
</p>
<p>Her throat ran a little dry at the large roller skate that was painted onto the wall with the sign. She hadn’t been roller skating since she was a kid. And she spent a majority of the time either falling on her ass, or <em>sitting</em> on her ass on the sidelines, watching everyone else go around in circles. </p>
<p>“Poppins, don’t tell me you’ve never gone roller skating before,” Jamie’s voice nearly made her flinch out of the memory of that painful birthday party experience. </p>
<p>“N-no, of course I have,” Dani gave her an incredulous look as she unbuckled her seatbelt.</p>
<p>“You sure? We can go bowling or something instead…” Jamie unbuckled her own seatbelt, staying in her seat as she cocked a head at how stiff the blonde suddenly looked.</p>
<p>Dani was equally as bad at bowling, unfortunately. Even if there was a much smaller chance of her falling in front of Jamie if they went bowling, she didn’t want to be rude and tell her to take her somewhere else. “No, this is fine. Come on,” Dani hopped out of the truck and slid her sunglasses to the top of her head as Jamie did the same, rounding the front bumper to meet her.</p>
<p>“Do you, uh...do you come here often?” she asked, cringing at herself, suddenly feeling like she did when they first met, “I didn’t mean for that to sound like a pick-up line.”</p>
<p>But Jamie just chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, “Used to come a lot on the weekends as a kid. Vi’s daughter Isabel used to take me and Denny all the time til she went off to college. But by then Denny was old enough to take me himself.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ve got a bunch of stories about this place too,” the blonde looked up at the building as they approached the doors, thanking Jamie when she held the door open for her. </p>
<p>“Hey, Jamie,” the man in the office behind the glass window hardly looked up from his comic book to greet them, “One ticket?”</p>
<p>“Two. This is Dani. Brought her from camp,” Jamie thumbed to the smiling girl beside her who just waved briefly at him, though it wasn’t really received, considering he just ripped out two rental tickets from a roll after Jamie handed him some cash. “Keep up the good work, Carl,” green eyes nearly rolled into her head before she ushered Dani through the next set of doors, handing her one of the tickets. </p>
<p>“He seems, uh…” Dani trailed off with a chuckle, unsure of how to describe the man in his mid-twenties.</p>
<p>“It’s a wonder they haven’t fired him,” Jamie snorted as they entered the main area of the building. Loud music played through the speakers as people of all ages skated around the rink. And despite the fun and carefree atmosphere, Dani’s heart was pounding in her chest, knowing she was just that much closer to making a fool of herself. </p>
<p>She followed Jamie to the rental counter, watching as she greeted the teenager behind it, who already knew her skate size and what color laces she wanted when she handed him her converse. Jamie wheeled her tan-colored rental skates (with green laces) against the carpet-covered counter as Dani handed the boy her ticket and her shoes, telling him what size she needed.</p>
<p>“Purple laces for her!” Jamie called after him as he disappeared into the room full of rentals behind the counter. </p>
<p>Once they both had their skates in hand, they sat on the nearest bench. Dani struggled with the extra long laces, trying to figure out how to get them to fit properly on her feet without letting the laces dangle down to the floor. </p>
<p>“Here,” Jamie stood gracefully on the quad wheels and knelt in front of her, taking the laces into her own hands and tying them skillfully, somehow making it so the laces didn’t hang over past the wheels, “Feel okay?”</p>
<p>Dani just swallowed thickly when a steady hand gripped her ankle through the high top of the skate, but nodded down at her with a nervous grin. </p>
<p>“Good,” the brunette stood back up, holding her hands out to help her off the bench, “Ready?”</p>
<p>Dani could feel her heart thumping to the beat of Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” that was playing over the speakers, but she bravely took Jamie’s hands and let her pull her up. Though, the older girl had to steady her when she started out a little wobbly on her wheels. </p>
<p>“Come on,” Jamie tilted her head and took off, rolling as smoothly as possible on the carpet that lead towards the smooth floor of the rink. And Dani, holding onto the bench as best she could, slowly made her way over, simply wheeling her feet back and forth against the carpet when she didn’t have anything to hold onto. </p>
<p>“Thought you said you’ve done this before,” Jamie teased, waiting for her at the edge of the entrance to the rink. </p>
<p>“Yeah, when I was ten,” Dani shifted her way over, finally reaching the wall that surrounded the oval of smooth concrete, “And even then, it was...not very graceful.”</p>
<p>“You know we don’t have to—“</p>
<p>“No, you drove us all the way here, you paid and everything already,” Dani shook her head, holding onto the wall.</p>
<p>“Dani, they give me the employee discount, I’m here so often. I paid a whole $1.50,” the older girl chuckled, reaching over to hold onto her hip in an attempt to steady her a bit, “It’s fine. We can do something else.”</p>
<p>“No, really it’s…” she sighed, looking down at her skate-covered feet before looking back up at Jamie, “Just promise you won’t laugh.”</p>
<p>“Cross my heart,” she nodded, using her finger to draw an X over her chest, “And if anyone else laughs, I’ll just push’em over.”</p>
<p>A smile grew on Dani’s face as she laughed, shaking her head as her anxiety dwindled for just a few moments. But next thing she knew, her hand was in Jamie’s as the older girl was leading her onto the floor, which was <em>definitely</em> more slick than the carpet. </p>
<p>“Hey, I got you,” Jamie placed a hand on Dani’s hip over the belt that was looped through her shorts, “Don’t look at your feet, that’s gonna mess you up.”</p>
<p>Nodding Dani tried to look at anything else as she held onto the wall. There were quite a few people here, but thankfully she wasn’t the only one struggling. Then again, the only people holding onto the wall were kids, but she noticed plenty of teenagers and adults falling over every few minutes. </p>
<p>Jamie, standing in front of her, was skating backwards with such an ease, making it look much easier than it was. She held tight to one of Dani’s hands while the blonde held onto the wall with the other, reaching for her hips to steady her if she ever wobbled off balance as they slowly made their way around the outer edge of the rink. </p>
<p>“Doing good,” Jamie smiled at her, still slowly working backwards so Dani could skate forwards, “Kinda getting a feel for it?”</p>
<p>The blonde nodded, making the mistake of looking down at her feet every now and then, though she was quickly (but gently) corrected by Jamie, who would tuck a crooked finger under her chin to lift her head up and give her reassuring smile and a few words of encouragement. </p>
<p>“Wanna hear a funny story?” Jamie asked suddenly over the music, earning a bit of an odd look from Dani, though she agreed to it anyway as they kept moving. </p>
<p>“So my brother, older one,” Jamie started, still skating backwards to guide Dani along the wall, “He had a <em>huge</em> crush on Isabel when we were kids. She was sixteen when we went to live with them.”</p>
<p>So far, the story wasn’t very funny. It was actually sad, considering it reminded Dani that Jamie had lost her little brother and her father was too wrapped up in grief to take care of her and Denny. But Jamie said it was funny, so she would wait for the comedy to come in. </p>
<p>“I told you before that Isabel used to take us here all the time. Sometimes after school, sometimes on the weekends,” Jamie watched as Dani nodded, “So Denny, like any other stupid teenage boy, decided to start showing off. Isabel would be guiding me around cause I was still getting used to skating. And he, somehow, was naturally pretty good at it.”</p>
<p>Dani nodded, keeping her eyes on Jamie as the story went on. </p>
<p>“So one weekend, we’re all here. Me and Izzy were working around the wall like we normally did so she could teach me. And Denny decided to race some random teenager he met around the rink as fast as they could go.”</p>
<p>“Oh no,” Dani chuckled quietly.</p>
<p>“Of course, Izzy’s focus was on making sure I didn’t fall as she guided me off the wall and more towards the center of the rink so I could learn to balance on my own,” Jamie smiled as she skated backwards, “And Denny, before I know it, comes barreling towards us. I guess he and this kid had a deal that whoever could circle the rink first got to buy Isabel a soda or something.”</p>
<p>She kept talking as she took Dani’s other hand, taking advantage of the way she was too into the story to notice, “So Denny’s winning the race, but he’s going so fast and the guy wasn’t great at stopping. And he ends up crashing into the wall. But he was going so fast that he not only crashed <em>into</em> it, but he flipped <em>over</em> it.”</p>
<p>Dani burst out with laughter, her head ducking as she held onto both of Jamie’s hands, still distracted and oblivious to the fact that they were now a solid six feet away from the wall. </p>
<p>“Oh, it gets better,” Jamie laughed along with her, “His pants fell down. And he was wearing tighty whities.” Dani just laughed harder at the story, feeling tears forming in her eyes from laughing so much. “And to make things worse for him, Isabelle saw. Didn’t let him live it down til she left for college,” Jamie continued, squeezing Dani’s hands, wondering when she would notice how far they’d strayed from the wall. </p>
<p>The blonde let go of one of her hands to wipe at her eyes with the side of her finger, her chuckles calming as the seconds passed. “Okay, yeah, that was funny,” Dani reached back for the wall, her eyes widening when she noticed that it was much farther away than she remembered. Instead, around them was just <em>space</em> and people skating by, “Jamie, oh my god, when did we—“</p>
<p>The older girl just snorted out a laugh, holding Dani by the waist before she could freak out enough to throw herself off balance. “I didn’t think I’d get you to let go of the wall if you were aware of it. You’re pretty easy, Poppins.”</p>
<p>“I...I don’t…” Dani’s jaw slacked as she was rendered speechless, both by the fact that she hadn’t fallen over without the help of the outer wall, and the fact that Jamie had her so distracted that she didn’t even <em>notice</em> that she wasn’t against the wall anymore. </p>
<p>“Come on,” Jamie gave her a bit of encouragement, slowly starting to skate backwards again, bringing Dani along, “Try to push your feet out to the sides instead of forward. Careful…”</p>
<p>Dani bit her lip as she attempted it, gaining a little bit of momentum, but she psyched herself out too quickly and got wobbly all over again. But Jamie, strong and balanced, pulled her close once more with her hands at her waist to steady her. “Sorry, I suck at this,” she sighed, looking around at six year olds who were gliding along the rink with a grace she never had.</p>
<p>“It’s okay. Try to keep your knees bent, okay?” Jamie looked down at their legs, demonstrating with her own. “Think you can make it to the next exit?” she asked, looking behind her at another opening in the wall maybe about twenty feet away. </p>
<p>“I don’t have much of a choice,” the blonde gave a nervous breath of laughter, feeling her cheeks flushing at the way Jamie was standing and holding her so close. She would’ve been worried that someone would see and say something if everyone else in the rink wasn’t so focused on making circles around the floor.</p>
<p>Jamie, ducking her head with a chuckle, squeezed her hands and nodded, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Come on, just do what we were doing before. Feet out to the sides, knees bent...good…”</p>
<p>Dani’s tongue stuck out the side of her lips in concentration, too focused on Debbie Harry’s face on Jamie’s shirt to notice the brunette taking endearing notice to her little quirk. </p>
<p>“Are we almost— <em>ah!</em>” she glanced up quickly, but the act of moving her head too fast mixed with a younger teenager zooming past them at lightning speed sent her completely off balance. And before she knew it, she was on the floor with her hips tucked between Jamie’s knees after apparently taking the brunette down with her.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, Jamie, I-I’m so sorry,” Dani blushed furiously, attempting to get off Jamie and back onto her feet. Though, every attempt was tragically failed. Especially with people skating around them, throwing her off balance every time.</p>
<p>Jamie just chuckled as she squirmed out from under her, being careful not to skate over her fingers as she managed to stand herself up. “It’s all good, Poppins. Here,” she held her hands out, leaning onto her skate’s rubber stoppers to keep herself steady as she helped Dani struggle back onto her feet. “Haven’t had a good fall since I was about twelve.”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” the blonde stroked hair back from her own face, grateful for the colorful lights that she hoped were hiding the intense blush on her face. </p>
<p>“S’all right. It was humbling,” Jamie chuckled, taking her hands again and squeezing her fingers gently in an attempt to get them to stop trembling from the adrenaline that comes with falling. “Think you can make it another five feet?”</p>
<p>Dani looked behind the older girl, seeing the opening in the wall not too far away. And with a nod of her head, she let Jamie guide her the rest of the way.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>xxx</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Would you wait?” Dani giggled, “God, you’re so impatient.”<p>“I just wanna see!” Jamie laughed, practically bouncing on her sock-covered toes.</p>
<p>“It’s <em>printing!</em>” Dani turned to face her with a face reddened from laughter. </p>
<p>The vintage photo booth whirred in front of them as they waited for their photo strip to print. And once the whirring stopped, the little strip dropped into the pick-up nook on the side of the machine. Dani laughed loudly as Jamie fought against her arms to reach for it first.</p>
<p>“Stop, you’re gonna rip it!” Dani practically shrieked through her infectious laughter, holding the black and white strip up and away from the brunette. Thankfully they’d removed their skates and left them dangling over their shoulders by the laces, otherwise Dani would have definitely fallen over again. But they’d been wandering the arcade for twenty minutes, finding the little vintage photobooth to be a much more sound investment than the games.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay fine,” Jamie rolled her eyes as she plopped down onto a bench on the side of the rink, placing her skates on the floor as Dani sat beside her, doing the same. </p>
<p>“Promise me you won’t get all grabby again,” the younger girl raised an eyebrow at her suspiciously, holding the photo close to her chest.</p>
<p>“I promise. <em>Pinkie</em> promise, even,” Jamie held her hand up, pinkie extended with a grin that was either genuine or <em>very</em> well-acted. But either way, Dani linked her little finger with hers with a giddy smile of her own before pulling the photo away from her chest.</p>
<p>Jamie shifted closer so she could see, bursting out with laughter at the series of pictures, reaching for Dani’s hand and pulling it closer so she could see better. “Really thought that one would turn out worse,” she commented, pointing to the second frame where they were turned, facing each other with amused, toothy smiles; Taken just after Jamie had surprised Dani with an assault of kisses and playful bites to her neck. And Dani’s reaction (a girly shriek with tightly closed eyes) was captured perfectly in the first frame. </p>
<p>Dani glanced over the photos as laughter still bubbled from her chest. The first two were perfectly candid, whereas the third was them showing off their goofiest faces. And she had insisted on a nice, normal one for the last. Biting her lip, she breathed a bit of a chuckle at the way that despite the fact that they both looked perfectly normal and happy for the camera, Jamie still managed to sneak two fingers behind her head to make a pair of bunny ears.</p>
<p>“Which half do you want?” the blue eyes met green as Dani turned to face her with her serious question.</p>
<p>“You keep the whole thing. You paid for it,” Jamie shook her head, waving her hand a bit dismissively. </p>
<p>Dani just smirked and nudged her with a teasing elbow, “You don’t want something to remember me by?” </p>
<p>“I’ll remember you plenty, Poppins. Believe me,” Jamie nudged her back, loving the sound of the giggle she got in response.</p>
<p>“Well…” Dani ripped the strip in half, holding up the candid shots in one hand and the posed shots in the other, “I want you to have one. So pick one, okay? Please?”</p>
<p>Jamie just eyed her with, what Dani could only describe as, suspicion. Though, she had nothing to be suspicious of. But eventually, the older girl’s eyes drifted to the photos in her hands, glancing them over diligently as if she were making the most difficult decision of her life. And after a bit of thought, she took the posed strip from Dani’s left hand with a smug grin, glancing it over. </p>
<p>“Think I’ll keep this one,” she let out a smiling sigh, looking down at their silly black and white faces just above their genuine smiles. </p>
<p>The half in her hand really was her second choice. But with how Dani looked in the photos from the top half of the strip, Jamie secretly hoped that whenever the blonde looked at them, years from now, she would remember just how carefree she allowed herself to be, not just today, but all summer. This summer had been Dani’s first taste of freedom; Even if it was within camp boundaries. And if years from now, Dani didn’t remember her, Jamie wanted her to at least remember <em>that</em>.</p>
<p>She watched as Dani admired the half in her hands, blue eyes glittering in the fluorescent lighting as her smile spread practically to her ears. It quickly started to hit her that five days from now, there was a good chance that she would be nothing but a camp memory to Dani. And the way Dani’s smile started to fall told Jamie that she was probably thinking the same thing.</p>
<p>“Would you really?” the blonde turned to face her, frowning with less of the natural, delightful shimmer in her eyes, “Remember me, I mean? Even if you didn’t have the photo?”</p>
<p>Jamie just huffed through her nose and leaned back on the bench with a brow arched skeptically in her direction, “Pretty face like yours? How could I forget?”</p>
<p>The younger girl leaned back against the bench as well, matching Jamie’s smirk for just a moment as she rested a hand on the brunette’s knee. “I’m being serious,” she mumbled, just loud enough for Jamie to hear over the music. </p>
<p>“So am I,” Jamie let her hand sink down to cover hers atop her bare knee, “Gonna remember more than that, though. Gonna remember how you prefer fruit punch juice boxes to <em>anything</em> else.” Dani gave a chuckle and shook her head as Jamie continued with an amused smile, “And how you’re always fidgeting with your fingers when you get nervous. And how you can’t go a day without wearing something colorful in your hair.”</p>
<p>Holding slim fingers in her own, Jamie squeezed them affectionately as she kept listing things off to the enamored blonde. “Gonna remember how you can’t even take a <em>puff</em> of a cigarette without coughing up a lung,” she chuckled as a deep shade of pink spread on Dani’s face, “And how you laugh at the <em>dumbest</em> jokes Owen comes up with.”</p>
<p>Blue eyes stared adoringly into Jamie’s as she listed off the tiniest details she’d collected about her over the summer. From how she folded her pizza slices in half to the way she called soda ‘pop’.</p>
<p>“Gonna think about you every time I see one of those crackling fireworks. And when ‘Mad About You’ comes on the radio from now on, I’m probably gonna keep it on even though I can’t stand that song.”</p>
<p>“Why keep it on if you hate it?” Dani giggled quietly, toying gently with Jamie’s fingers in their little secluded spot in the corner of the rink. </p>
<p>“Cause you’ve been singing it <em>all</em> summer,” the brunette rolled her eyes and let out a playful groan, “Quietly to yourself when you think no one can hear you. It’s grown on me.”</p>
<p>“Well good, it’s a great song,” Dani shoved her with her free hand, laughing when she was shoved back, “Is that all?”</p>
<p>Jamie scoffed jokingly with a smirk, shifting a bit closer to her on the bench, “If you want me to list all the things I’m gonna remember about you, we’re gonna be here all day, Poppins.”</p>
<p>With a scrunched up nose and a pout, Dani checked her watch, groaning at the fact that they had to be back at camp in an hour. As grateful as she was for the time off, three hours wasn’t nearly enough. “I don’t wanna go back,” she slumped against the bench with a frown.</p>
<p>“Don’t have to.”</p>
<p>The blonde looked at her like she’d grown two extra heads, “What, are we just gonna never go back to camp? I don’t think Viola would like that very much.”</p>
<p>“No, I can call and just say we’ll be late. I mean, all we’d miss is dinner, right? Not like tonight’s the play or the talent show.”</p>
<p>“I guess, but…” she trailed off, rubbing her own arm nervously. It wasn’t like she hadn’t broken rules this summer. And she’d proven to be reliable enough that Viola had already invited her back next summer if she wanted to return. Plus, Jamie would be calling. That was more responsible than just staying out later than expected, right?</p>
<p>“Don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Jamie shook her head. “Honest. We probably have time for a trip around half the rink before we have to go. At <em>your</em> speed, anyway.”</p>
<p>Dani just chuckled at Jamie’s obviously teasing and sighed, relaxing her shoulders, “Do you think she’ll be mad?”</p>
<p>“Vi? Nah. I think she’d be more surprised to see me back on time,” Jamie snorted.</p>
<p>“You sure?” </p>
<p>“Promise.”</p>
<p>Biting her lip, the blonde glanced around the rink and the back at Jamie. It wasn’t like they would be out all night. Just an extra hour or two. No big deal. “Okay,” she nodded, feeling the reassurance she needed in her gaze.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Jamie nodded, bending down to put her skates back on, “I’m gonna go give her a call. You want something to drink?”</p>
<p>“Pepsi, please,” she nodded, smiling when Jamie took her hand and squeezed gently before taking off, cutting across the rink at full speed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>one more chapter :( that’ll be posted on monday! have a great weekend!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we have reached the end of my silly little camp fic!</p>
<p>the beginning starts out a little weird in my opinion. the first part of this chapter was meant to be the end of the last one, but then we’d be left with a super short chapter for the ending, and i didn’t want that. so i’m sorry if it feels a little out of place.</p>
<p>but anywho! enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dani was pretty sure she’d laughed more in the past few hours than she ever had in her entire life. From <em>another</em> fall in the roller rink, to watching <em>Jamie</em> fall to avoid crashing into a little kid who had rolled out in front of her. If the moments had been funny, the memories were even funnier, somehow, constantly replaying in their heads as they sat in the bed of Jamie’s truck.</p>
<p>Sitting in the camp’s dirt parking lot, legs dangled and swung over the edge of the truck bed about a foot off the ground as the sun began to set around them. Everyone was at dinner around this hour and neither of them had any real interest in making an awkward appearance in the middle of pasta night. They’d filled up on a shared tray of french fries at the roller rink anyway.</p>
<p>“I still can’t believe you just toppled over like that,” Dani held onto her stomach as she doubled over with laughter, Jamie laughing just as hard beside her.</p>
<p>“Hey, I may have saved her life. It was the heroic thing to do,” Jamie chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye, “Wonder Woman falls over on roller skates <em>all</em> the time.”</p>
<p>“I must have missed that episode,” the blonde teased as she struggled to catch her breath. She really was going to remember this summer for the rest of her life. With or without the half photo strip tucked into her wallet, it was going to be impossible for her to forget this. Or <em>her</em>. Jamie, who laughed with her whole body, was unforgettable. And Dani was pretty sure she’d never meet anyone like her anywhere else. </p>
<p>As her own laughter calmed down, she watched as Jamie did the same; Her flushed face practically glowing in the sunset as her eyes shined with tears from laughing too hard. Curly brown strands hung down in her face from where her scrunchie was slowly coming loose in her hair, and Dani just wished she could capture Jamie in this moment and keep her here forever. </p>
<p>“What—“ the brunette started to ask what Dani was staring at before she was cut off by warm, eager lips against her own. Gentle hands held the sides of her face, keeping her close as Dani deepened the kiss without a moment of hesitation. Her tongue swiped across her lower lip, gaining easy entrance as Dani pushed herself closer, nearly ending up in Jamie’s lap as she hummed breathily into the kiss. </p>
<p>Jamie raked her fingers through blonde hair, gripping onto it gently as Dani’s hands looped around her neck to hold her impossibly close. She knew that their time was running out, as much as she wanted to deny it. After this, it would be back to subtle glances from across the room, maybe a quick kiss between activities or after Friday night’s farewell bonfire. And after that, she didn’t even want to think about it. She’d never grown so attached to a person so quickly before, and it was a miracle that she hadn’t fucked it up yet. </p>
<p>Through the kiss, she could tell that she and Dani were on the same page. The younger counselor was thinking about the next few days to come and the possible fallout that would come after. She could tell in the way she pressed against her, the way she grabbed onto her so tightly and kissed her hard, desperate to turn back the clock to ten weeks ago so they could start over.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Jamie pulled back for air, allowing Dani to chase her into another desperate kiss just once before she pulled back again. One of them had to be the rational one here. “We’ve gotta head back,” the brunette whispered, her fingertips gently massaging under the mane of blonde. </p>
<p>“No,” Dani shook her head, leaning in to kiss her again, which Jamie couldn’t say no to, “Just a little longer, Jay, <em>please</em>.”</p>
<p>Nodding against her forehead, Jamie wasn’t able to resist her pleas. They were already late. Viola might be a little cross that they actually came back after sunset, but...fuck it. It wouldn’t and <em>couldn’t</em> go any farther than this, but that was fine with her. She was with Dani, and that was all that she needed right now.</p>
<p>“Can I tell you how much I’m gonna miss you now?” Dani pulled back after a few moments, panting heavily as fresh tears streaked down her face, “Cause I am. I know we still have five days, but…<em>fuck</em>, Jamie, it’s only five days. And then what? I’m going to school, you’ll be working...I don’t wanna—“</p>
<p>Lips were warm on hers again as thumbs swiped across her damp cheeks. And to make matters worse, she could taste the salt from Jamie’s tears between them too. She whimpered desperately into the intense kiss and gripped the dark, slate colored material of Jamie’s t-shirt in tight fists as she melted into the hands that held her face so gently in contrast; Like she was the most delicate piece of glass Jamie had ever held.</p>
<p>With a gentle pull of her waist, Jamie managed to maneuver Dani into her lap, knees on either side of her waist, digging uncomfortably into the dropped tailgate of the truck bed. But Dani didn’t care. She hardly even noticed. If it wasn’t Jamie, she paid no mind to it at all. </p>
<p>“It’s gonna be okay,” Jamie whispered into her neck, arms wrapped tightly around her waist as she tried her hardest to convince both Dani and herself. It was <em>terrifying</em> how hard and fast she’d fallen for this girl. This girl who came up to her on the first day of camp, invading her space and reminding her of rules she already knew about with a nervous blush on her face.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna miss you too,” the brunette whispered breathlessly, feeling like the words had knocked the wind out of her entirely. She rocked side to side, running her hands up and down Dani’s back soothingly as she clung to her, face buried in her neck with an unrelenting grip around her shoulders. “So fucking much,” she whispered, feeling the blonde shiver in her arms. This was too hard and it wasn’t even over yet.</p>
<p>Pulling back from her fierce hug, Dani pressed her lips softly to hers, much less intense, but no less passionate and sincere. “Will you write back if I write to you? Or pick up the phone if I call you?” she asked through a sniffle, bloodshot blue eyes searching green for answers as she traced the freckles on the apple of Jamie’s cheek with a delicate fingertip. </p>
<p>“Course I will. My handwriting’s shite, but you know that already,” she shrugged, offering a bit of a watery laugh with her forehead pressed against Dani’s, “Just don’t forget about me once you become miss ‘pretty and popular’ at school. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it.” Maybe it was dramatic, but it was honest.</p>
<p>“I could never,” Dani shook her head and whispered, reaching behind her own back. Her fingers toyed idly with hers before she linked their pinkies together on both hands, securing the promise that she would work tirelessly to keep after the summer was over.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Saturday August 18, 1987</strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Last Day Of Camp</strong>
  </p>
</div>“Oh, I’m gonna miss you,” Viola squeezed Dani tightly as the blonde giggled against her shoulder, “I mean it when I say you’re welcome back next summer. I could use more responsible ones like you on my staff.” The tall woman pulled back and shook the young counselor’s shoulders affectionately with a serious look in her eyes.<p>Dani just released a breath of light laughter and tucked her hair awkwardly behind her ear, remembering all the times she had, in fact, been <em>very</em> irresponsible over the last ten weeks. “Thank you for the opportunity Mrs. Llo—“ she stopped when Viola gave her a playfully stern look before correcting herself, “Viola. I really appreciate it.”</p>
<p>“Good luck at school, sweetheart,” the woman hugged her again before fixing the sun hat on her head and heading off to say goodbye to some other people, leaving Dani standing alone in the grassy area in front of the dirt parking lot. </p>
<p>Looking around, she could see campers shedding tears as they hugged, promising to keep in touch as parents exchanged phone numbers to set up playdates if they lived close by to one another. Kids were hugging counselors, staff members were hugging other staff. The atmosphere was definitely different than it had felt at the beginning of the summer. It was solemn, despite the clear sky and glowing sun. </p>
<p>“Would you get off me?!” she heard a familiar chime of laughter, making her head turn to find the source. And just like the first day of camp (and just about every day since), she saw Jamie surrounded by kids, grabbing for her, trying to wrangle her into a hug as she pretended to be disgusted with them.</p>
<p>Dani just chuckled when Jamie was pulled to the ground as the kids all climbed on top of her in a dog pile, pinning her down so she couldn’t escape their affections. </p>
<p>“Dani!” Flora came running up to her with a paper in one hand and her uncle’s hand in the other, tugging him along, “This is my Uncle Henry! He came to pick up me and Miles!”</p>
<p>“Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard quite a bit about you from Flora’s letters,” Henry extended his hand to her, and she shook it cordially, polite enough to not bring up the fact that he had only written Flora back <em>once</em> over the span of ten weeks. </p>
<p>“You too. Flora’s been lovely all summer, isn’t that right?” Dani smiled and looked down at the little girl.</p>
<p>“Perfectly splendid,” she nodded and handed Dani the paper, “For you.”</p>
<p>“What’s this?” she crouched down, unfolding it to reveal a drawing of Flora, Nellie, Jamie, and herself standing in front of a blue cabin, everything labeled with arrows and childish penmanship. “Oh, Flora, this is beautiful! Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Will you come back next summer?”</p>
<p>With a warm smile, Dani just squeezed the eight year old’s shoulder affectionately, nodding her head, “We’ll see. I’ve gotta focus on school before I make any decisions about next year. So do you.”</p>
<p>“I suppose you’re right. But I do hope you come back. We can do arts &amp; crafts together again!” Flora gave her a big grin, showing off the gap from the tooth she’d lost last week.</p>
<p>“We’ll see,” the blonde chuckled, pulling the girl into a tight hug, “Be good at school, okay?”</p>
<p>Nodding, Flora glanced up at her uncle as he called for Miles to come back from where he was saying goodbye to a few new friends. The Wingrave kids were certainly brought out of their shells since that first day when Dani found them practically cowering by the buses. </p>
<p>Waving goodbye, Dani watched them leave, smiling at the fact that she’d helped at least two kids this summer. She said goodbye to a few more campers, helping them find their bus or their parents, making sure they’d checked out with Viola so she could mark them as dismissed. And eventually there were nothing but counselors left in the grassy little area, talking amongst themselves.</p>
<p>Some of them were staying to help clean up, or taking their dear, sweet time packing. Rebecca, who went to school in Massachusetts had already left this morning, saying her goodbyes early. Though, to Dani, she gave a simple “see you around”. The blonde hadn’t expected more. She was learning quickly that she didn’t need everyone to like her, even if their reasons for disliking her were petty or bigoted. She had Hannah and Owen as her friends. And they were plenty for her. And Jamie…</p>
<p>Where was Jamie?</p>
<p>Glancing around, blue eyes grazed around the area, holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun. Through the haze, she could make out a slim figure hiding under the shade of a tree. <em>That</em> tree; leaning with one foot against the bark and a cigarette hanging from her lips. No different than the first time she’d seen her, save for the missing cut-off shorts.</p>
<p>“I don’t think smoking is allowed,” she smirked as she approached her, kicking a pine cone along the way until it landed at the older girl’s feet. </p>
<p>“And staring’s not very polite,” the brunette smirked up at her, flicking ashes into the grass, “All packed up?”</p>
<p>Nodding, Dani stood in the shade of the tree, keeping her distance just a few feet away. “Yeah, I actually have to get going now. Move-in is happening as we speak,” she chuckled a bit awkwardly, looking at her watch, “You?”</p>
<p>Shaking her head Jamie just stomped the cigarette out into the dirt, straightening her back out against the tree. “I’ve gotta finish packing. Plus Vi needs a little extra help cleaning up. Perks of technically being family, she doesn’t even ask if I <em>wanna</em> help,” she rolled her eyes with a chuckle, “Got your wallet on you?”</p>
<p>Confused, Dani stepped closer, dropping her red backpack to the ground by her feet. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Just get it, I need that picture from Tuesday,” Jamie laughed, pushing herself off the tree to stand pretty much toe-to-toe with her. This was too easy. After the last few weeks, dreading this moment, Dani was sure that this was going to be much more excruciating. But so far, it was just like any other day with Jamie. </p>
<p>Dropping to her knees, she fished her wallet out of her bag, plucking out her half of the photo strip and handing it over to Jamie, who was uncapping a pen with her teeth. Upon her gentle instruction, she turned around, bending over just enough so the brunette could use her back as a table, feeling each stroke of the pen through her shirt and the photo paper.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I’m back living with my dad,” Jamie capped the pen again, tucking it behind her ear as Dani stood back up and turned around, “<em>Fortunately</em>, however...he’s at work most nights. So if you call any time after five, I’m usually the only one home.”</p>
<p>The blonde looked at the little paper, turning it over to see an address and phone number scribbled onto the back with a scratchy little heart on top. She could feel her heart skip a beat in her chest as she pulled her lip between her teeth, catching green eyes staring back at her. </p>
<p>Tucking the photo back into her wallet, she dropped it into her backpack before plucking the pen from behind Jamie’s ear with a smirk, grabbing onto her arm after she took the cap off. “Well,” she started, already working the ball-point tip against her fair, freckled skin, “I don’t have a phone number or address to give you just yet, but I’ll keep all that in mind. And expect a letter from me by next week.”</p>
<p>Picking her head up from where it was ducked down, focused on her handiwork, she put the cap on the pen again, tucking it back into the brown curls that surrounded Jamie’s ear. The older counselor looked down at her forearm, chuckling at the large heart that had been drawn onto her skin with <em>DC+JT</em> in the middle, tattooed on her in blue ink.</p>
<p>“Since we never got a chance to carve it into a tree,” Dani just laughed a little, feeling the blush creep up to her cheeks. Maybe it was corny. She never liked corny with Eddie. Things were <em>always</em> corny with him. But this felt better, despite being just as silly and cliché. Especially with the purple and green woven bracelet sitting nicely just below her artwork.</p>
<p>“Who says I didn’t do it already without telling you?” a thin brow raised suggestively.</p>
<p>“Did you?”</p>
<p>“Maybe.”</p>
<p>“Where?”</p>
<p>“That’s for me to know and you to find out next summer,” Jamie chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest.</p>
<p>Dani bit back the smile that threatened to take over her whole face, glancing shyly down at their shoes. Her Keds were a completely different color than the pristine white they’d started out as. She never did get the mustard stains out from the first night.</p>
<p>“I have to go get going,” she picked her head back up, searching Jamie’s face for something, though she wasn’t sure what. Just <em>anything</em>. </p>
<p>“I guess you do. Drive safe, yeah?”</p>
<p>Nodding, the blonde watched eyelids fall over her green eyes before they glanced down at the grass that surrounded them. This was where it was starting to get hard. She knew the reality of it would come crashing to her in an instant, and now here it was.</p>
<p>Closing the space between them, she moved Jamie’s arms from where they were tightly crossed and wrapped them around her torso instead, inviting the brunette to hold her close while she did the same. She buried her face in the warm skin of her neck, letting the faint smell of tobacco and <em>Jamie</em> invade her senses one last time.</p>
<p>She didn’t have to tell her that she was going to miss her, or that this summer meant more to her than just about <em>anything</em> ever had. Jamie knew all that. She’d told her enough times that she was pretty sure that the older girl would just playfully roll her eyes if she told her again. </p>
<p>But she pulled back and let her lips press to hers, not wanting the kiss they shared in the girl’s bathroom after the talent show two nights ago to be their last one of the summer. Not that she would have minded. Any kiss with Jamie was special. But this was where they met. This little spot held a lot more meaning than an empty bathroom.</p>
<p>She relished the feeling of a thumb smoothing over her heated cheek and gentle fingertips pressing into her jaw. And for the first time, Dani didn’t care who saw, if anyone even cared enough to look. No one else mattered to her right now.</p>
<p>Pulling back, she let her forehead rest against Jamie’s, warm breath passing between them in comfortable silence. They would be fine. This wasn’t the end.</p>
<p>“Talk to you soon?” Dani mumbled, daring to look up into her eyes. A simple nod was all she got in return, but it was enough for her. She bent down to pick up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, letting her fingers slowly drop from Jamie’s as she stepped back towards the parking lot. </p>
<p>It took everything she had to turn around, walk to her little yellow Volkswagen, and leave this place and that girl behind. And she managed to make it halfway there before—</p>
<p>“Hey, Poppins!”</p>
<p>Turning around, she saw Jamie jogging up to her, stopping a few respectable feet away. “I, uh...I know you’re gonna be drowning in coursework in the next week or so, but...any chance you could pencil me into your schedule next Saturday night? Maybe around six? Think your skating could still use a little work.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I only fell <em>three</em> times. I think that’s pretty impressive,” she cocked her head and placed a hand on her hip, wearing a playful smirk on her face.</p>
<p>“That a no?”</p>
<p>Biting her lip, the blonde left her dangling for a few seconds before shaking her head, “I guess I could use a little more practice. Next Saturday?”</p>
<p>“Six o’clock. Roller Kingdom,” Jamie squinted in the sunlight, rocking back and forth from her heels to her toes.</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>“Cool.”</p>
<p>Dani gave her a shy smile and a small wave before turning back around, making a beeline for her car once again. This may have been the end of the summer, but it definitely wasn’t the end for them. There was no rule that said summer romances had to end with the season. </p>
<p>Standing back, Jamie watched Dani walk off with a surprisingly peaceful grin plastered onto her face. Using every ounce of willpower she had to not chase after her again. She’d never been clingy with <em>anyone</em>, but she’d been learning quite a bit about herself over the summer.</p>
<p>“Jamie!” Viola called from across the grass, beckoning her over, “Come on, I need you to help me get inventory done for the supply room!”</p>
<p>“Be right there, Vi!” she called back without looking away from the distant blonde, waving when she turned back to face her one last time. It wasn’t long before the yellow bug pulled out of the dirt lot, leaving nothing behind but tracks and a trail of dust. </p>
<p>And like that, Dani was gone. </p>
<p>With a sigh, Jamie started walking back down the grassy field, letting her hand graze against the trunk of the tree she’d been leaning against just minutes ago. The <em>DC+JT</em> she’d etched and carved into the bark a few days ago practically burned under her fingertips as she walked back towards the main building; Serving as a pleasant reminder of what had started in that spot ten weeks ago.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and that’s it! cue “i think we’re alone now” by tiffany as the end credits!</p>
<p>this was a lot of fun to write. i’m overwhelmed by how many people actually took the time to read this, let alone comment, leave kudos, etc. i appreciate every single one of you! </p>
<p>hopefully you’ll be happy to hear that i’d LIKE to do an epilogue for this fic if i can gather my thoughts and make a plan for it. so this may not be the VERY end, but it’s the end for now. so keep an eye out for an epilogue hopefully within the next few weeks.</p>
<p>thank y’all for everything! catch me on the twitter @chonisdamie if you wanna see me at my most unhinged.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>